Description
Book SynopsisThis text suggests that too many college students lack the power to reason and argue effectively. It sets out to rebuild their confidence in the possibility of objective reasoning by challenging contemporary cliches about the limits of objectivity and the relativity of value judgements.
Trade ReviewMullen effectively combines logic, epistemology, and good old fashioned common sense. The dialogues and examples are telling; the explanations clear and to the point. The book articulates, defends, and exemplifies all the important features of 'hard thinking'. Many texts purport to aid in the teaching of thinking; this one will clearly succeed. -- Harvey Siegel, University of Miami
Not only does Mullen's text challenge students to do some hard thinking, but it explains why they should and it shows them how. . . . [T]he text includes strong chapters on both traditional and modern formal logic. As a result, this book should prove suitable for a wide variety of courses. -- Bruce Umbaugh, Webster University
Ideally a logic text should encourage not only criticism of thinking, but critical thinking itself. To its great credit, Hard Thinking does both. -- Nicholas Rescher
Table of ContentsChapter 1 What is Hard Thinking? The Core Language of Reasoning Chapter 2 How to Read Arguments Chapter 3 Myths of Privileged Sources Chapter 4 Hard Thinking About Values Chapter 5 Mastering Language Chapter 6 Everyday Fallacies of Reasoning Chapter 7 Fallacies of Technical Reasoning Chapter 8 Modern Formal Logic Chapter 9 Appendix: Aristotle's Herculean Try
