Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking 
asked by h2o on November 24, 2006 2:31 PM
Whether regarded as a science, an art, or a skill–and it can properly be regarded as all three–logic is the basis of our ability to think, analyze, argue, and communicate. Indeed, logic goes to the very core of what we mean by human intelligence. In this concise, crisply readable book, distinguished professor D. Q. McInerny offers an indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInerny’s Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice.
As McInerny notes, logic is a deep, wide, and wonderfully varied field, with a bearing on every aspect of our intellectual life. A mastery of logic begins with an understanding of right reasoning–and encompasses a grasp of the close kinship between logical thought and logical expression, a knowledge of the basic terms of argument, and a familiarity with the pitfalls of illogical thinking. Accordingly, McInerny structures his book in a series of brief, penetrating chapters that build on one another to form a unified and coherent introduction to clear and effective reasoning.
At the heart of the book is a brilliant consideration of argument–how an argument is founded and elaborated, how it differs from other forms of intellectual discourse, and how it critically embodies the elements of logic. McInerny teases out the subtleties and complexities of premises and conclusions, differentiates statements of fact from statements of value, and discusses the principles and uses of every major type of argument, from the syllogistic to the conditional. In addition, he provides an incisive look at illogical thinking and explains how to recognize and avoid the most common errors of logic.
Elegant, pithy, and precise, Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a professional sharpening your career skills or an amateur devoted to the fine points of thought and expression, you are sure to find this brief guide to effecting reasoning both fascinating and illuminating.
From the Hardcover edition.
As McInerny notes, logic is a deep, wide, and wonderfully varied field, with a bearing on every aspect of our intellectual life. A mastery of logic begins with an understanding of right reasoning–and encompasses a grasp of the close kinship between logical thought and logical expression, a knowledge of the basic terms of argument, and a familiarity with the pitfalls of illogical thinking. Accordingly, McInerny structures his book in a series of brief, penetrating chapters that build on one another to form a unified and coherent introduction to clear and effective reasoning.
At the heart of the book is a brilliant consideration of argument–how an argument is founded and elaborated, how it differs from other forms of intellectual discourse, and how it critically embodies the elements of logic. McInerny teases out the subtleties and complexities of premises and conclusions, differentiates statements of fact from statements of value, and discusses the principles and uses of every major type of argument, from the syllogistic to the conditional. In addition, he provides an incisive look at illogical thinking and explains how to recognize and avoid the most common errors of logic.
Elegant, pithy, and precise, Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a professional sharpening your career skills or an amateur devoted to the fine points of thought and expression, you are sure to find this brief guide to effecting reasoning both fascinating and illuminating.
From the Hardcover edition.
Reviews
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Being Logical provides many of the tools necessary for clear thinking on any issue. My one caveat is that the McInerny slips in his own metaphysics when it isn't warranted. The main example is when he discusses the principal of sufficient reason, which he describes as "everything physical has a cause". By doing so McInerny implicitly accepts that if there is anything non-physical then the principal of sufficient reason need not apply. There is no reason for this assumption. He would have been better off summarizing this law of thought as "everything has a cause" thereby leaving physicalness and non-physicalness out of the description.
reviewed by fabio on November 29, 2006 12:19 PM
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this primer on informal logic is fairly good, and it's worth reading, but there are a few places wherein the logic is a little bit sloppy, but again, overall it is worth the price and it does have generally helpful concepts.
reviewed by ibook on November 29, 2006 6:06 PM
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The author presents lists and sublists of types of arguments. The book would be more understandable if he had offered more examples of the topics he refers to. It would have helped too if he had used more symbols and diagrams.
He made a good point that arguing is not the same as quarreling. That would have been better placed at the beginning when he first uses the term "argument."
He made a good point that arguing is not the same as quarreling. That would have been better placed at the beginning when he first uses the term "argument."
reviewed by selena on November 29, 2006 6:08 PM