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How to Think Clearly: A Guide to Critical Thinking Kindle Edition

3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 99 ratings

How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

The Principles of Straight Thinking

How to Think Clearly: A Guide to Critical Thinking is an easy-to-understand and lively introduction to the serious issues of learning how to think clearly and being able to spot the difference between good and bad reasoning. Dr. Doug Erlandson draws on concrete examples of good and bad reasoning from the political and social realm and everyday life to make his points in a sometimes lighthearted but always meaningful way.

Here's a Preview of What's in the Book

  • Identifying the differences between good and bad arguments
  • Avoiding fallacies
  • Creating good explanations
  • Assessing probabilities
  • Recognizing that statistics and numbers can lie

˃˃˃ Here's How You Benefit

How to Think Clearly gives you the tools you need to critically assess the claims and counterclaims with which you are bombarded by politicians, pundits, commentators and editors, as well as coworkers, friends and family, and will aid you in developing skills to present your view in ways that are clear, coherent, sensible and persuasive.

˃˃˃ Suitable as a classroom text and for independent study

How to Think Clearly is easy to understand and suitable for independent study. At the same time it offers the content and intellectual rigor that you would expect in a text for an introductory college-level course in critical thinking.

˃˃˃ What Others Are Saying About How to Think Clearly: A Guide to Critical Thinking

Dr. Erlandson has given a wonderful introduction to good critical thinking: how to recognize good and bad arguments, helpful and non-helpful explanations, the ways that numbers can be manipulated. You can tell that he must be a good teacher. (G. Feltner)

The author offers a refuge of reason within our culture of disregard for open-mindedness and rational discourse where the popular debate of serious issues or ideas is often a shouting match from the margins. (Cubs Fan)

A great read for anyone who is new to logic and critical thinking, or someone who just wants to review and refresh their knowledge. (Paul D.)

Scroll up and grab a copy today.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0093KWBAA
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 28, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 277 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 185 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 99 ratings

About the author

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Doug Erlandson
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Doug Erlandson is the author of 27 books.

The Comfort of Calvinism: A Defense of the Reformed Faith (Published 2021)

The Secession Option: Exploring the History, Constitutionality and Viability of Secession (Published 2021)

How to Think Clearly: A Guide to Critical Thinking

How to Write Clearly: A Guide to Effective Communication.

He has written the Jargon-Free Guide series, which includes The Theory of Knowledge: A Jargon-Free Guide to Epistemology and Philosophy Basics: A Jargon-Free Guide for Beginners.

Among his many theology books are Faith Reborn; Spiritual Anorexia: How Contemporary Worship is Starving the Church; Godly Contentment: Kingdom Living in an Age of Economic and Social Uncertainty.

He is also the author of The Job Shuffle which was published by Moody Publishing.

Doug received his B.A. from Wheaton College (Ill.) and his doctorate in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University. He was an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln from 1972-1980. He served as a pastor in the Reformed Church for 6 1/2 years and returned to teaching in 1994 at Southeast Community College in Lincoln.

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Doug and his wife Elizabeth n Lincoln, Nebraska.

An avid Chicago Cubs fan, Doug has also written a memoir I Bleed Cubbie Blue: My Six Decades as a Cubs Fan.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
99 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book a good guide for clearer thinking in plain English. It explains the basis of critical thinking and helps them understand science in arguments. They say it's a great read for anyone new to logic and critical thinking, and worth reading and re-reading.

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18 customers mention "Reading quality"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. It provides a good overview of the topic, with clear examples and explanations of logical fallacies. The writing style is clear and detailed, making it an excellent guide for considering confusing issues.

"...this book I think you will find yourself much more aware of the nature of thinking and reasoning...." Read more

"...(as opposed to most other authors who write on the topic), is give practical advice on how the material in this book can be used in everyday life...." Read more

"...With that said, this is the cleanest and clearest book on critical thinking that I have seen recently. The examples tell the tale and tell it well...." Read more

"...Guide To Critical Thinking' five stars because it is an easy read as an entry level guide to a much needed and lacking skill in modern society...." Read more

7 customers mention "Readability"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and engaging. It covers logic and critical thinking concepts well, starting slowly but covering the material adequately. Some reviewers say it's worth reading and re-reading, and is a good audiobook.

"A great read for anyone who is new to logic and critical thinking, or someone who just wants to review and refresh their knowledge...." Read more

"...This is a book worth reading and re-reading." Read more

"...curious and haven't read much about logical thinking before - this is a good, well-structured book...." Read more

"...with chapter 3, as said, but when the book came together I really enjoyed the read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2013
    This book provided exactly what it said it would - a guide to critical thinking.

    On finishing this book I think you will find yourself much more aware of the nature of thinking and reasoning. More importantly will be a heightened awareness of the often weak ways in which we are led by public figures and the media. If nothing else you can quickly recognise when a poor argument is being made and see through the ways in which this weakness can be covered with emotions etc. You will become highly aware (and dare I say, irritated) by the number of 'straw-man' arguments we see in the media and politics every single day.

    Prepare though to read the early sections as a textbook - in the university course sense of the word. There is quite a bit of reasoning structure to get through which is critical for the rest of the book to make sense. For this reason though the structure of the book becomes a grind in places. This isn't to say that you aren't learning anything but I found that sometimes you are slogging through latin and algebra and then next chapter you are looking at fascinating and easily digestible real-life examples. This made me wonder if the distribution of material couldn't have been a little more even.

    The author sensibly summarises the book with discussions on the limits of argument disection in 'polite' society. This I think is good because if we all spent our days breaking down every sentence said by other people then we would quickly grind to a halt. Oddly, and this is just my suspicion (you can break down the validity of my reasoning after reading), there seems to be a real partisan slant to a lot of the examples given. Not being from the U.S. I could have read this the wrong way but you may find yourself thinking the same. Not that this makes the examples any less appropriate but there did seem to be a bias that may make some people a little prickly, such that they end up missing the point.

    If you read this along with some of the work by Arthur Schopenhauer on how to win arguments I think you will gain a lot on reasoning structure and also how to break this structure. All in all, a very valuable guide.
    22 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2013
    A great read for anyone who is new to logic and critical thinking, or someone who just wants to review and refresh their knowledge. Some of the topics covered in the book include reasoning (deductive and inductive), the various logical fallacies (ex: straw man), how to stay fair in debates, and how numbers can be used to mislead. One thing the author does in this book (as opposed to most other authors who write on the topic), is give practical advice on how the material in this book can be used in everyday life. Arguably, some of the examples the author uses are a little biased, but other than that it is an easy/great read for individuals who are not accustomed to thinking critically or who are novices in speech/debate.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2017
    How is it that none of these books follow clear, concise, universally accepted teaching procedures (like Instructional System Design pedagogy)? None of them do. With that said, this is the cleanest and clearest book on critical thinking that I have seen recently. The examples tell the tale and tell it well. You won't be able to read the news or listen to an argument the same way again. It will change your outlook on interpreting facts as presented, probably for the rest of your life. This is a book worth reading and re-reading.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2016
    I rated 'How to Think Clearly: A Guide To Critical Thinking' five stars because it is an easy read as an entry level guide to a much needed and lacking skill in modern society.

    The author goes through the basics of understanding a view of an issue and deciding if the presenter is right, wrong, or intentionally misleading. The lack of basic critical thinking skills is overtly evident every time I log onto Facebook or read the comments after almost any article on a politicized issue.

    He defines and describes through easy to grasp examples the main logical fallacies you will encounter on a day to day basis. This is a crucial step to seeing how so many Americans are duped into zealously fighting against their own best interests.

    If you have ever encountered someone who tried to convince you of something that you were certain wasn't true but didn't know how to go about disproving them verbally or in writing the you should definitely read this book.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2016
    My opinion is probably biased by reading too many books on the subject. This book gives a good overview of the topic, but doesn't provide any "a-ha!" moments that you will not find elsewhere. So if you are curious and haven't read much about logical thinking before - this is a good, well-structured book. If you been there and done that the book will be OK addition to your collection.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2013
    This book was a little tough to get into, but with careful words given in the preface to not really let chapter 3 discourage the rest of the book is nice. I had the trouble with chapter 3, as said, but when the book came together I really enjoyed the read. This is a very good but for understanding the science in arguments and do say to give it a go.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2013
    Dr. Erlandson has given a wonderful introduction to good critical thinking; how to recognize good and bad arguments, helpful and non-helpful explanations, the ways that numbers can be manipulated. You can tell that he must be a good teacher. As a teacher myself (in a totally unrelated discipline) I recognize the difficulty in taking a complex subject and presenting it in easy to digest bites for an audience new to the subject. He does this well, and with a wonderful sense of humor. Perhaps my favorite part of the book was the last chapter, where he says that the ultimate goal of this knowledge is not to "win at all costs", but to be fair - especially to those with whom we disagree. I have purchased some other of Dr. Erlandson's books and am eager to read them. Highly recommended.
    17 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on September 16, 2017
    Good reading to help you become a critical thinker.
  • daisycow
    4.0 out of 5 stars Critical guide to clear thinking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2013
    A good basic guide laying out the principles and general ideas
    Good basic examples and workings
    Clear explanations
    Recommended ++
  • InfernalByte
    1.0 out of 5 stars This guy needs to read How To Write Clearly, I read four pages and put it down.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2015
    Jeez

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