http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=fallacy&x=10&y=23
The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Six Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning, 2nd Edition (Paperback)NB: Christian Logic
by Nathaniel Bluedorn (Author), Hans Bluedorn
Hans Bluedorn (Author)
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
Great For Kids or Adults, June 6, 2005
By Tim Challies (Oakville, Ontario) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-six lessons on how to recognize bad reasoning (Paperback)
The Fallacy Detective, written by Hans and Nathaniel Bluedorn, is a book designed for teens or adults that teaches how to spot common errors in reasoning. The goals for this book are clearly laid out in the introduction. When the reader has completed this book he should be able to put a high value on good reasoning, know how to spot many forms of bad reasoning and know how to avoid using many fallacies in his own reasoning.
The authors provide a vision of Christian logic in which they appeal to the need for Christians to strive for a higher standard of reasoning, in order to attain greater ability in discernment. Logic is an important foundation for the science of discernment. Thus they seek to define good reasoning in a biblical way. "Logic is the science of thinking the way God thinks - the way Jesus taught us to think" (page 14).
The book contains thirty-six lessons which progress from the most common and basic fallacies, to statistical fallacies and even propaganda. All those terms I have not heard since my university Critical Thinking courses are present as well as some that are commonly used and misused: red herring, ad hominem, tu quoque, appeal to the people, part-to-whole, whole-to-part and so on. Each lesson is followed by several questions which allow the reader to apply what he has just learned. I was glad to see that the questions are cumulative, meaning that what has been taught in previous lessons is continually reviewed in the application questions for subsequent chapters.
The authors write in a style that will appeal to teens and young people. The text is interspersed with comics (such as Calvin & Hobbes, Peanunts and Dilbert) and anecdotes. It is also a funny book, as there are many places where the authors turn to humor to make the book enjoyable. A typical lesson may begin similar to this one, which discusses weak analogies: "Let's say...you are a budding scientist wanting to write your graduate thesis on the long term effects of Pop-Tarts on humans. The only problem is, you can't find enough people who are willing to eat thirty-four Pop-Tarts a day for one year" (page 131).
Can learning logic be fun? With The Fallacy Detective it appears that it can be. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to improve his reasoning skills. While its primary usefulness will be for teenagers, adults will also enjoy it and benefit from the lessons. If you homeschool your children, this may be a useful title. You can read more about it at christianlogic.com. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment (1)
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
Hilarious and educational, August 11, 2005
A Kid's Review
A wonderful little logic book, that can be enjoyed on several levels. First of all it is a great homeschooling resource. Second, it's a useful way to get research if you're stuck on a logic test. Thirdly, it is peppered throughout with great cartoons from the classics "Calvin and Hobbes" and "Peanuts" as well as the less classic "Dilbert." Lastly, it's just plain hilarious! You'll laugh your head off with anecdotes about putting a smoke detector in the fireplace. Absolutely, don't miss. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
Cute with a critical thinking point, February 21, 2005
By E. Johnson (El Cajon, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-six lessons on how to recognize bad reasoning (Paperback)
The Fallacy Detective cannot be a good book because it was written by homeschoolers.
Ooops, there I go again, using a genetic fallacy. It's what you'll learn from a couple of home-school educated detectives who aim their book at those 13 and older. There are a number of cartoons--from Peanuts and Dilbert to a cartoon written by the authors' sister--that help keep interest in the simple, straightforward book as it deals with several dozen common fallacies. The exercises will help keep the student on the straight and narrow, making sure the ideas are solidified in the mind. I do recommend this book for kids as well as adults who would like to sharpen their critical thinking skills. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
Have a blast while learning, September 2, 2005
By L. B. Jarratt "Mind & Media Book Reviewer" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
This is the second book I have read from the Bluedorns. The first was the The Thinking Toolbox. The Bluedorns sent me this book to review. It is titled The Fallacy Detective and was written by Nathaniel & Hans Bluedorn.
They again have done a wonderful job of laying out the fallacies in a way that is easy to understand. It is broken down into 36 lessons, so you can 1 per day if you wish. The problems they have at the end of each section are great and build on each other. Don't forget to try out the Fallacy Game they provide at the end of the book. You'll have a blast while learning.
I have been using this book to watch my own writings and the comments I receive on my blog so I will improve. It has been very helpful. I read a section a day and them try to apply it to my writings and questions from commenter's. I have learned to recognize many of the fallacies quickly and not get drawn into the traps that others are trying to set for me. I don't always succeed at that, but I am improving thanks to the Bluedorns'. Keep up the good work guys.
I would recommend this book to all writers, politicians whether you are a novice or an expert. There is always some little tidbit of knowledge to learn. I have learned a lot. I would stick to the recommendation on this book that it book be read or studied by teenagers and above. Most younger kids would not understand the differences between the fallacies. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent and practical, August 20, 2005
By K. Davis "Homeschoolbuzz.com" - See all my reviews
One of the most important gifts any parents can give their child is wisdom.
The book of Proverbs tells us to acquire wisdom, pursue it, love it, and guard it.
The Fallacy Detective, teaching classical logic from a Christian worldview, is one practical tool that will help you and your children down the path to wisdom. With thirty-six lessons you will be well on your way to a discerning, inquiring mind. The book explains such things as what are fallacies, assumptions, generalizations, analogies, and propaganda. But more than that, it will teach you good reasoning skills in a biblical way. Written in an intelligent, yet easy to grasp manner, the Bluedorn brothers have produced a fine book here. Peppered with humor and an occasional comic strip, your children will enjoy using this book and playing the Fallacy Detective game to help them apply what they've learned.
The book is "self-teaching" with lessons that are short, interesting and fun. However, it is recommended that lessons be done together with your children, as discussions are crucial to help develop thinking skills and abilities to spot bad reasoning.
If you homeschool for reasons of faith or worldview, it's important for your children to be able to discern truth from lie, spot fallacies and defend their view. The Fallacy Detective will help you to equip your children to stand firm against the moral relativism of this world.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. - 1 Peter 3:15 Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
A very helpful book, February 27, 2006
By Sheldon - See all my reviews
I'm only half done this book, but already I find it very hgelpful. It's broken up into 36 lessons, each one foccusing on a different fallacy, and how to recognize them. There's also plenty of examples in each lesson, which really helps. Another thing I like about it is the comics spread throughout the book. So if you're one on logic, then get this book! Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent book for learning how NOT to think..., May 24, 2005
By Zack Reynolds (Fort Collins, CO) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-six lessons on how to recognize bad reasoning (Paperback)
I recommend this book for anyone who is new to logic--or perhaps doesn't even know what logic is (by the way, logic is a method of reasoning). In this easy-to-read book (with some great cartoons and illustrations), the Bluedorn brothers cover various topics dealing with bad reasoning skills. For example, they cover avoiding the question, making assumptions, statistical fallacies, and propaganda.
Avoiding the question is something politicians are good at, but after reading this book, you'll recognize--oh so quickly--every time they avoid the question--especially in debates, such as the presidential debates.
Most ads are filled with propaganda, which is hype designed to mislead. However, after you read this book, you won't look at ads like you used to.
So if you want to learn how not to think, this is a good book to start you on your way. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
great!, April 29, 2005
A Kid's Review
This review is from: The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-six lessons on how to recognize bad reasoning (Paperback)
This is a great logic book it teaches you about strawman, bandwagon, and red herrings. It has EVERYTHING you want to know about logic this is a great book (I'm not as old as it says you have to be to understand this book but I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!) Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
A good text for teenagers, October 11, 2006
By Catherine Hood (Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
I was a math major, and studied quite a bit of logic in school, but I still learned a great deal from this book.
I knew before about red herrings, but I didn't know where that phrase came from. Now I also know about other ways to "cheat" in an argument, and I know all the right names for them. Next time my political-science-oriented husband and I watch a debate or speech or one of those Sunday shows on some political issue, I'm going to spot the fallacies more easily and call them by their name!
It's written for teenagers, and sometimes that bothers me. I suppose they are trying to make it more interesting, but as an adult, I felt like I was being talked down to. For me, there were too many uses of "dude!" in the text for me to take the book completely seriously. I appreciated the use of comic strips, though, like Lucy using "an appeal to fear" when talking to Linus, or using a "red herring" when talking to Charlie Brown.
The Bluedorns state that the book is written from a Christian perspective. If you have teenagers who are Christians or who can read something written by Christians, then I think this is a great book to help teach logic. I'm looking forward to going through it with my teenagers when the time comes. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
26 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
A New Classic, March 15, 2006
By Barbara Coyle (Ireland) - See all my reviews
The last time I read a book about logic was in college for a class called Symbolic Logic. It is only memorable to me because I agonized over it every day all quarter, and only passed the class because my math-major roomate was taking it with me and tutored me. However, the logic book that I've just finished reading, The Fallacy Detective, was a pleasure to read. Taking examples from everyday situations, advertisements, political speeches and cartoons, the authors point out and explain about thirty logical fallacies. Exercises at the end of each chapter test how well you have grasped the material. What is more, the book is written by Christians and for Christians, giving the topic a secure foundation in truth. Interesting, humorous, and well-written, I'd say this book will be a classic on the subject.
Reading the book reminded me that as Christians we need to be able to think clearly. The media, the politicians, and the cultists are all trying to persuade us to think in a certain way. The Bible tells us that "The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps" (Proverbs 14:15). Knowing how to spot logical fallacies will help us not to "believe every word," but instead to be discerning and wise.
19 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
Poor logic and writing, June 24, 2008
By Book Dad (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
Hoping to ignite good mealtime conversation and teach my children some reasoning skills, I began reading this book to my family at the dinner table. Once I reached chapter two, our conversation turned to how the authors used so many fallacies themselves. In the first two paragraphs of chapter two, where the lessons begin, they used three fallacies, one in the first sentence.
The writing is also lacking. For example, these homeschooled authors improperly used "which" multiple times. As a homeschooling dad, I found it troubling that they displayed such a lack of basic skills.
I gave the book two stars instead of one, because their ideas are solid. Their presentation, however, is sorely lacking. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
the fallacy detective, March 2, 2009
By teacher 60 - See all my reviews
This would be a good book for any teacher teaching Speech Class. I am using it this year in my speech class. I starts with asking What is a Fallacy?Then goes on to tell you how best to use this book. It has a chapter on The Inquiring MInd where it gives you examples of people not using their minds and then ends up with examples of you to choose whether these people were using their minds or not.Lesson 4 teaches you about The Red Herring Fallacy and then goes on in the next chapter telling you how to recognize it.There is a chapter on the Ad Hominem, the Genetic Fallacy, the Tu Quoque, Faulty Appeal to Authority, Appeal to People, Straw Man(where someone would change or exaggerate an opponent's position or argument)There are chapters on Making Assumption, Circular Reasoning,Loaded Questions, Part to Whole. the Book goes into Statistical Fallacies and Generalizations, Analogies. There is about 50 pages of different types of Propoganda and how it is used. At the end of the book they have a game you can play. there are also Answer Keys because at the end of each chapter they give you Exercises. Thrown throughout the book are Peanuts Cartoons, Calvin and Hobes,Dilbert, that have to do with the subject they are on. The Chapters are relatively short and can be read in any order. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Fallacy in Critical Thinking, May 30, 2008
By Alexander Douglas (Cedar Hill, TX United States) - See all my reviews
The brothers Nathaniel and Hans Bluedorn have written an easy to understand book in the common fallacies of reasoning that break logical arguments. As an elderly reader who has forgotten much of the material, it is a refreshing and humorous reminder of these basic fallacies. Written for a 7th grade reading ability, it nonetheless is enjoyable for all ages. Critical thinking is a lost discipline in modern life since the government schools deliberately dumb down education to keep the masses stupid. Coming from a Christian world view these home school taught boys revive this lost discipline in a fun manner. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Review for Fallacy Detective, July 12, 2009
By Karen L. Rogers (Gladstone, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
Great book. Teaches about faulty reasoning. Has quizzes on each chapter, and even a game. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Good reading on detecting bad reasoning, January 16, 2008
By Avid Reader (Springfield, MA) - See all my reviews
We bought this book to give our homeschooled son (10) an introductory course on critical thinking. The short (approx 4 pages average) chapters are cute and illustrate logical fallacies we all come across each day. My wife and son read one chapter a day. A set of questions at the end of the chapter allow you to test knowledge acquired from the chapter. The answers for all questions are at the end of the book. It works well to read the chapter together and then try the questions and check the answers afterwards. A chapter can be done in this method in about 20 minutes, with discussion. The book uses many cartoons and illustrations to exemplify fallacies. A light, fun read of what is often taught as a dry, boring subject. Get this book and teach your child (or yourself) to think through the arguments people present to justify their positions. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
47 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
Tempts me to give up the faith, August 5, 2008
By Stephanie Desmond (Toronto) - See all my reviews
Can somebody please tell me why a "Christian perspective" has to mean "creationist perspective"? This is not a group with which I want to identify.
Every creationist who has read this first sentence will probably dart down to click the "not helpful" button before reading on, and this is precisely the kind of non-thinking that I wish to avoid imparting to my children. For this reason, I will be throwing out my copy of this book.
I found this book terrible because it mixes legitimate learning with propaganda, a most insidious and distasteful form of lying. It does give good coverage of fallacies, but it sneaks in little bits of dogma, particularly creationist dogma, which is 100% unbackable, and which has zero right to show up in a book about critical thinking - particularly as it is presented in the manner outlined in the chapter on repetition propaganda. Students really ought to be encouraged to start with the evidence and work toward an unbiased conclusion, rather than starting with the conclusion and digging around for evidence. The authors outline common fallacies and then commit the fallacies to promote a political agenda, which I find highly unsavory.
The book also contradicts itself many times - for example, it calls a quotation from an expert a valid appeal to authority, but then goes on to attempt to discount the peer-reviewed findings of every legitimate scientist since 1900. It warns about the danger of equivocation - changing the definition of a word partway through an argument - and then goes on to warn against scientific "theories" as if they were unsupported guesses, calling them "repetition propaganda" just because every scientist you ask will agree about them. In science, in order to be classified as a theory, an idea must be supported by 100% of the available evidence. It is not the same as the common definition of the word, which the authors attempt to apply, sneakily, to the theories of scientists.
With a few pages torn out, it might just make a relatively good textbook, but why take the trouble? Critical thinking does not deserve to be mixed with dogma. Find a real logic book. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comments (9)
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Confidence builder for teens, May 29, 2008
By PrincipledAmerican (Good ol' USA) - See all my reviews
This book sparked many wonderful discussions at the dinner table. Our teens easily used the collection of tools offered in The Fallacy Detective to logically analyze the news of the day--what a confidence builder for them! This book certainly encourages conversation and involvement in one's world. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Great Logic Book!, May 6, 2008
A Kid's Review
This book is awesome! It's lots of fun trying to be logical?! It's really nice how it goes through bad reasoning and how to recognize and refute it. I highly recommend this book! Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
33 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
Christian Dogma Mixed with Logic, August 27, 2006
By Debra L. Orton "Colorado Mom" (USA) - See all my reviews
This book is loaded with Christian overtones, Bible verses, and other religious dogma. It does cover a large number of common logic fallacies with a plethora of examples and exercises for the reader in an easy to read format. If you can step around (or want?) the religious dogma mixed with your logic then you'll find this book useful for kids 13 and up. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comments (9)
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
A Good Book..., July 18, 2008
By The Girl Next Door (South Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
I think this is a good book. I thought I would be able to use it for my 11 year old even though it is recommended for 13 and up. I read a few pages myself and though it was a very interesting book.
