Think Again

How to Reason and Argue

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Epistemology
Cover of the book Think Again by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Walter Sinnott-Armstrong ISBN: 9780190627140
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: June 1, 2018
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
ISBN: 9780190627140
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: June 1, 2018
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Our personal and political worlds are rife with arguments and disagreements, some of them petty and vitriolic. The inability to compromise and understand the opposition is epidemic today, from countries refusing to negotiate, to politicians pandering to their base. Social media has produced a virulent world where extreme positions dominate. There is much demonization of the other side, very little progress is made, and the end result is further widening of positions. How did this happen, and what might be done to address it? Walter Sinnott-Armstrong says there is such a thing as a "good" argument: Reasonable arguments can create more mutual understanding and respect, and even if neither party is convinced by the other, compromise is still possible. Think Again shows the importance of good arguments and reveals common misunderstandings. Rather than a means to persuade other people or beat them in an intellectual competition, Sinnott-Armstrong sees arguments as an essential tool for constructive interaction with others. After showing how the failure of good arguments has led us to society's current woes, he shows readers what makes a good argument. In clear, lively, and practical prose, and with plentiful examples from politics, popular culture, and everyday life, Sinnott-Armstrong explains what defines an argument, identifies the components of good arguments as well as fallacies to avoid, and demonstrates what good arguments can accomplish. Armed with these tools, readers will be able to spot bad reasoning and bad arguments, and to advance their own views in a forceful yet logical way. These skills could even help repair our tattered civic culture.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Our personal and political worlds are rife with arguments and disagreements, some of them petty and vitriolic. The inability to compromise and understand the opposition is epidemic today, from countries refusing to negotiate, to politicians pandering to their base. Social media has produced a virulent world where extreme positions dominate. There is much demonization of the other side, very little progress is made, and the end result is further widening of positions. How did this happen, and what might be done to address it? Walter Sinnott-Armstrong says there is such a thing as a "good" argument: Reasonable arguments can create more mutual understanding and respect, and even if neither party is convinced by the other, compromise is still possible. Think Again shows the importance of good arguments and reveals common misunderstandings. Rather than a means to persuade other people or beat them in an intellectual competition, Sinnott-Armstrong sees arguments as an essential tool for constructive interaction with others. After showing how the failure of good arguments has led us to society's current woes, he shows readers what makes a good argument. In clear, lively, and practical prose, and with plentiful examples from politics, popular culture, and everyday life, Sinnott-Armstrong explains what defines an argument, identifies the components of good arguments as well as fallacies to avoid, and demonstrates what good arguments can accomplish. Armed with these tools, readers will be able to spot bad reasoning and bad arguments, and to advance their own views in a forceful yet logical way. These skills could even help repair our tattered civic culture.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book The Biopolitics of Embryos and Alphabets by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book The Day Wall Street Exploded : A Story Of America In Its First Age Of Terror by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Basic Structures of Reality by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book The Horizontal Organization by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Christian-Muslim Exchange: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Antisocial Media by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Desiring Divinity by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Wisdom in Classical and Biblical Tradition by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Culture Writing by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book The Definition of Anti-Semitism by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book The Allure of Battle by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Muslims in the Western Imagination by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Winding It Back by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Apocalyptic AI by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Cover of the book Social Support Measurement and Intervention by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy