Straight and Crooked Thinking
 | |
| Author | Robert H. Thouless |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Logic, psychology and education |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | 1930 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 261 pp |
| ISBN | 0-330-24127-3 |
| OCLC | 1230940 |
| 160 | |
| LC Class | BC108 .T48 1974 |
Straight and Crooked Thinking, first published in 1930 and revised in 1953,[1] is a book by Robert H. Thouless which describes, assesses and critically analyses flaws in reasoning and argument. Thouless describes it as a practical manual, rather than a theoretical one.
Synopsis
[edit]Thirty-eight fallacies are discussed in the book. Among them are:
- No. 3. proof by example, biased sample, cherry picking
- No. 6. ignoratio elenchi: "red herring"
- No. 9. false compromise/middle ground
- No. 12. argument in a circle
- No. 13. begging the question
- No. 17. equivocation
- No. 18. false dilemma: black and white thinking
- No. 19. continuum fallacy (fallacy of the beard)
- No. 21. ad nauseam: "argumentum ad nauseam" or "argument from repetition" or "argumentum ad infinitum"
- No. 25. style over substance fallacy
- No. 28. appeal to authority
- No. 31. thought-terminating cliché
- No. 36. special pleading
- No. 37. appeal to consequences
- No. 38. appeal to motive
See also
[edit]
- List of cognitive biases
- List of common misconceptions
- List of fallacies
- List of memory biases
- List of topics related to public relations and propaganda
References
[edit]- ^ Thouless, Robert H (1953), Straight and Crooked Thinking (PDF), London: Pan Books, retrieved 30 November 2010