Critical Thinking: An Appeal to Reason

Thinking critically about the arguments and messages we see every day ' in words or in pictures ' gives us the power to make up our own minds. Thinking critically about the way we express ourselves ' in writing or in person ' gives us the power to persuade.In Critical Thinking: An Appeal to Reason , Peg Tittle empowers students with a solid grounding in the lifelong skills of considered analysis and argumentation ' skills that should underpin every student's education.Starting with the building blocks of a good argument rather than with the pitfalls to avoid, 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. Throughout the text there are numerous sample arguments from books, journals, magazines, television and the internet for students to analyze. With an interactive companion website and a comprehensive instructor's manual, Critical Thinking is the ideal textbook for a course in the fundamentals of sound reasoning.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'¢ A companion website with comprehensive pedagogical features, including an instructor's manual, extended answers, explanations and analyses for the exercises and arguments in the book, and supplementary chapters on logic and ethics'¢ Dozens of images for critical analysis'¢ Annotated arguments that help students to read critically and actively'¢ Actual questions from standardized reasoning tests like the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT and GRE.