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Critical Thinking Unleashed

Elliot D. Cohen

From alcohol and drug addiction to rage on national highways and in airports, many human beings have kept themselves in perpetual turmoil and despair. From encroachment on individual rights and liberties to wars of attrition and mass genocide, human history has continually repeated itself due to a failure to see the light. Containing numerous skill-building exercises, Critical Thinking Unleashed seeks to cultivate the reasoning skills required to overcome such destructive human tendencies and to live meaningful and productive lives in a democratic society. In contrast to other treatments of practical reasoning, Elliot D. Cohen not only teaches students how to identify and refute irrational premises_he also teaches them how to construct rational antidotes to combat the personal, social, and political obstacles they confront in everyday life. Moreover, Cohen encourages students to use the theories and ideas embodied in the history of philosophy in order to construct these rational guides, drawing examples from many contemporary sources. Demonstrating the practical relevance and import of many historically significant philosophers (e.g. Socrates, Aristotle, Epictetus, Hume, Kant, Mill, Sartre, and Nietzsche), the book presents a practical, non-technical, and comprehensive approach to critical thinking.
  • Details
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  • Author
  • Author
  • TOC
  • TOC
  • Reviews
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  • Features
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Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 416 • Trim: 7⅜ x 10½
978-0-7425-6431-2 • Hardback • September 2009 • $165.00 • (£127.00)
978-0-7425-6432-9 • Paperback • September 2009 • $93.00 • (£72.00)
978-1-4422-0005-0 • eBook • October 2009 • $88.00 • (£68.00)
Series: Elements of Philosophy
Subjects: Philosophy / General, Philosophy / Logic
Courses: Philosophy; Critical Thinking
Elliot D. Cohen is professor of philosophy and chair of the Department of Humanities at Indian River State College in Florida. He is executive co-director and co-founder of the American Society for Philosophy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy; professor and chair at the Indian River College; editor-in-chief and founder of The International Journal of Applied Philosophy and The International Journal of Philosophical Practice. Author of twelve books and numerous articles, his most recent books are New Rational Therapy: Thinking Your Way to Serenity, Success, and Profound Happiness and What Would Aristotle Do? Self-Control through the Power of Reason. Other recent books include Philosophers at Work: Issues and Practice of Philosophy; The Virtuous Therapist: Ethical Practice of Counseling & Psychotherapy; and News Incorporated: Corporate Media Ownership and its Threat to Democracy.
1 Table of Contents
2 Preface to the Student
Chapter 3 Introduction: Free Thinking
Part 4 I. Kinds of Reasoning
Chapter 5 1. The Nuts and Bolts of Reasoning
Part 6 Deduction
Chapter 7 2. Deductive Reasoning
Chapter 8 3. Hypothetical Syllogisms
Chapter 9 4. Disjunctive Syllogisms
Chapter 10 5. Truth-Functional Logic
Chapter 11 6. Categorical Statements
Chapter 12 7. Immediate Deductions
Chapter 13 8. Categorical Syllogisms
Part 14 Induction
Chapter 15 9. Generalization
Chapter 16 10. Prediction
Chapter 17 11. Testimonials
Chapter 18 12. Hypothesis
Chapter 19 13. Causation
Part 20 Behavioral and Emotional Reasoning
Chapter 21 14. Behavioral Reasoning
Chapter 22 15. Refutation in Practical Reasoning
Chapter 23 16. Emotional Reasoning
Part 24 II. Informal Fallacies
Part 25 Fallacies that Promote Self-Destructive Emotions
Chapter 26 17. Inferences from "Must," "Awful," and "Can't"
Chapter 27 18. Damning Thoughts and Dutiful Worrying
Part 28 Fallacies that Impede Successful Interpersonal Relations
Chapter 29 19. Bandwagon Arguments
Chapter 30 20. Emotional Appeals
Chapter 31 21. Irrelevant Appeals
Chapter 32 22. Sophistical Arguments
Chapter 33 Appendix: Venn Diagrams
34 Index
In Critical Thinking Unleashed, Elliot D. Cohen takes the reader through the various parameters of reasoning. It is complex, yet fascinating stuff. But what I found most important perhaps was how so much of what he wrestles with, from deconstructing the news stories behind Iraqi WMD to 'spin' in political campaign ads, cuts to the heart of the challenge we face as citizens in today's democracy.
— Peter W. Singer, Brookings Institution, author of Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century


In welcome contrast to the many disembodied treatments of critical thinking that have been published, this book speaks with a warm, human voice that knows what is at stake in thinking and provides a thorough tour of the logic and rhetoric that every educated person should master. The author's deep interest in the practical application of the tools of philosophy comes through clearly in this text. Fresh treatments of familiar topics provide a comprehensive view of critical thinking that is distinguished by its humanity and realism.
— Greg Tropea, California State University, Chico


• Engages students by applying the principles of critical thinking to everyday problems that they're likely to face

• Encourages the use of rational thinking to inform the great debates in which our broader society is engaged

• Applies the principles of critical thinking to emotional challenges, familial conflicts, domestic policies, and global policies that threaten the environment, balance of power, or the prospects for world peace.

• More than 120 sets of exercises, drawn from decades of classroom experience provide guided practice in applying key critical thinking skills

Critical Thinking Unleashed

Cover Image
Hardback
Paperback
eBook
Summary
Summary
  • From alcohol and drug addiction to rage on national highways and in airports, many human beings have kept themselves in perpetual turmoil and despair. From encroachment on individual rights and liberties to wars of attrition and mass genocide, human history has continually repeated itself due to a failure to see the light. Containing numerous skill-building exercises, Critical Thinking Unleashed seeks to cultivate the reasoning skills required to overcome such destructive human tendencies and to live meaningful and productive lives in a democratic society. In contrast to other treatments of practical reasoning, Elliot D. Cohen not only teaches students how to identify and refute irrational premises_he also teaches them how to construct rational antidotes to combat the personal, social, and political obstacles they confront in everyday life. Moreover, Cohen encourages students to use the theories and ideas embodied in the history of philosophy in order to construct these rational guides, drawing examples from many contemporary sources. Demonstrating the practical relevance and import of many historically significant philosophers (e.g. Socrates, Aristotle, Epictetus, Hume, Kant, Mill, Sartre, and Nietzsche), the book presents a practical, non-technical, and comprehensive approach to critical thinking.
Details
Details
  • Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
    Pages: 416 • Trim: 7⅜ x 10½
    978-0-7425-6431-2 • Hardback • September 2009 • $165.00 • (£127.00)
    978-0-7425-6432-9 • Paperback • September 2009 • $93.00 • (£72.00)
    978-1-4422-0005-0 • eBook • October 2009 • $88.00 • (£68.00)
    Series: Elements of Philosophy
    Subjects: Philosophy / General, Philosophy / Logic
    Courses: Philosophy; Critical Thinking
Author
Author
  • Elliot D. Cohen is professor of philosophy and chair of the Department of Humanities at Indian River State College in Florida. He is executive co-director and co-founder of the American Society for Philosophy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy; professor and chair at the Indian River College; editor-in-chief and founder of The International Journal of Applied Philosophy and The International Journal of Philosophical Practice. Author of twelve books and numerous articles, his most recent books are New Rational Therapy: Thinking Your Way to Serenity, Success, and Profound Happiness and What Would Aristotle Do? Self-Control through the Power of Reason. Other recent books include Philosophers at Work: Issues and Practice of Philosophy; The Virtuous Therapist: Ethical Practice of Counseling & Psychotherapy; and News Incorporated: Corporate Media Ownership and its Threat to Democracy.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • 1 Table of Contents
    2 Preface to the Student
    Chapter 3 Introduction: Free Thinking
    Part 4 I. Kinds of Reasoning
    Chapter 5 1. The Nuts and Bolts of Reasoning
    Part 6 Deduction
    Chapter 7 2. Deductive Reasoning
    Chapter 8 3. Hypothetical Syllogisms
    Chapter 9 4. Disjunctive Syllogisms
    Chapter 10 5. Truth-Functional Logic
    Chapter 11 6. Categorical Statements
    Chapter 12 7. Immediate Deductions
    Chapter 13 8. Categorical Syllogisms
    Part 14 Induction
    Chapter 15 9. Generalization
    Chapter 16 10. Prediction
    Chapter 17 11. Testimonials
    Chapter 18 12. Hypothesis
    Chapter 19 13. Causation
    Part 20 Behavioral and Emotional Reasoning
    Chapter 21 14. Behavioral Reasoning
    Chapter 22 15. Refutation in Practical Reasoning
    Chapter 23 16. Emotional Reasoning
    Part 24 II. Informal Fallacies
    Part 25 Fallacies that Promote Self-Destructive Emotions
    Chapter 26 17. Inferences from "Must," "Awful," and "Can't"
    Chapter 27 18. Damning Thoughts and Dutiful Worrying
    Part 28 Fallacies that Impede Successful Interpersonal Relations
    Chapter 29 19. Bandwagon Arguments
    Chapter 30 20. Emotional Appeals
    Chapter 31 21. Irrelevant Appeals
    Chapter 32 22. Sophistical Arguments
    Chapter 33 Appendix: Venn Diagrams
    34 Index
Reviews
Reviews
  • In Critical Thinking Unleashed, Elliot D. Cohen takes the reader through the various parameters of reasoning. It is complex, yet fascinating stuff. But what I found most important perhaps was how so much of what he wrestles with, from deconstructing the news stories behind Iraqi WMD to 'spin' in political campaign ads, cuts to the heart of the challenge we face as citizens in today's democracy.
    — Peter W. Singer, Brookings Institution, author of Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century


    In welcome contrast to the many disembodied treatments of critical thinking that have been published, this book speaks with a warm, human voice that knows what is at stake in thinking and provides a thorough tour of the logic and rhetoric that every educated person should master. The author's deep interest in the practical application of the tools of philosophy comes through clearly in this text. Fresh treatments of familiar topics provide a comprehensive view of critical thinking that is distinguished by its humanity and realism.
    — Greg Tropea, California State University, Chico


Features
Features
  • • Engages students by applying the principles of critical thinking to everyday problems that they're likely to face

    • Encourages the use of rational thinking to inform the great debates in which our broader society is engaged

    • Applies the principles of critical thinking to emotional challenges, familial conflicts, domestic policies, and global policies that threaten the environment, balance of power, or the prospects for world peace.

    • More than 120 sets of exercises, drawn from decades of classroom experience provide guided practice in applying key critical thinking skills

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