How to Win an Argument, 2nd Edition

Rating:
Summary: Very good introduction to'Argument/critical thinking'
Review: Being fairly experienced in the world of arguments, I checked this book out at my library to refine my skills and technique. What I ended up finding was a book with the basics--things that are obvious to anyone who has argued before. Common fallacies are discussed, as well as general rules to follow so you can position yourself on the defensive in an argument.

If you're looking for the basics and are not too familiar with fallacies and pitfalls in logic, this may be beneficial as a primer. If you are looking for a book with in-depth argument analysis this is not it.

Rating:
Summary: That's it?
Review: Being fairly experienced in the world of arguments, I checked this book out at my library to refine my skills and technique. What I ended up finding was a book with the basics--things that are obvious to anyone who has argued before. Common fallacies are discussed, as well as general rules to follow so you can position yourself on the defensive in an argument.

If you're looking for the basics and are not too familiar with fallacies and pitfalls in logic, this may be beneficial as a primer. If you are looking for a book with in-depth argument analysis this is not it.

Rating:
Summary: Very good introduction to'Argument/critical thinking'
Review: SUMMARY:

- Informal, yet objective

- More useful from a perespective of executive decision making

- Less structured for GMAT aspirants (though may be a good introduction)

- A 'nice brief book' (around 200 pages)

DESCRIPTION:

This is the first book I am reading on argument/critical thinking and have completed about 80% of the book.

The book is an excellent intro to the subject. I liked the relatively short chapters and the crispness of each topic/theme. The author has managed to objectively introduce key concepts without resorting to heavy-duty theories in reasoning and critical thinking.

One caveat: This presentation is relatively informal - I like it this way. But each idea/chapter has been presented in a deceptively simple fashion. It will help to highlight, reread and discuss with another person to really imbibe the ideas.

I am a person who leans towards picture/sketches and examples; I would give this book a five-star if thus updated.

[e-mail].

Rating:
Summary: If you are Lost in Arguements this is one you have to read
Review: This book is very basic. But it has great ideas that are needed for any kind of arguement. Even a novice can put use of these skills very effectively. This book is good for practical purpose, and if you get lost while arguing this is a must read book. Personally I learned a lot of things from this book. It is also very organised and you will go through the whole book without feeling clobbered in your head. There are people out there who will change the subject when you are talking about some issues, and if you are not aware of it you feel that you had lost the Argument. This is a basic trap you get into while arguing. The author explains exactly what to look for while arguing. It is a good book.

Rating:
Summary: Great Intro to Argumentation
Review: This is an excellent book on argumentation. It covers the basics, and for that some will inevitably criticize it, but how often do we find people who know all of the basics of a subject? The book covers interesting concepts like the subject change (non-sequitur) and the various fallacies used in arguments. It helped me to understand the concepts of "begging the question" and "false cause." The book provides good guidelines on conducting an argument, and provides hypothetical arguments to allow the reader to analyze them, so as to better grasp the concepts. The book is short and to the point, which is an advantage. It is an excellent intro to argumentation.