Critical Thinking

Book excerpt: In Critical Thinking: An Appeal to Reason, Peg Tittle empowers students with a solid grounding in the lifelong skills of considered analysis and argumentation that should underpin every student’s education. Starting with the building blocks of a good argument, this comprehensive new textbook offers a full course in critical thinking. It includes chapters on the nature and structure of argument, the role of relevance, truth and generalizations, and the subtleties of verbal and visual language. Special features include: • an emphasis on the constructive aspect of critical thinking—strengthening the arguments of others and constructing sound arguments of your own—rather than an exclusive focus on spotting faulty arguments • actual questions from standardized reasoning tests like the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT, and GRE • graduated end-of-chapter exercises, asking students to think critically about what they see, hear, read, write, and discuss • numerous sample arguments from books, magazines, television, and the Internet for students to analyze • many images for critical analysis • analyzed arguments that help students to read critically and actively • an extensive companion website for instructors and students A companion website features: • for instructors: an extensive instructor’s manual; a test bank; and PowerPoint slides • for students: extended answers, explanations, and analyses for the exercises and arguments in the book; supplementary chapters on logic and ethics; downloadable MP3 study guides; interactive flash cards; and thinking critically audio exercises. www.routledge.com/textbooks/tittle