Critical Thinking: An Appeal to Reason

"Peg Tittle's Critical Thinking: An Appeal to Reason is the ideal book for any class, philosophy and otherwise, in which evaluating arguments is central. Few texts are as thorough, and none are as accessible, clear, and pleasurable. Critical Thinking is chock-full of examples of arguments and fallacies from Tittle's fecund imagination, as well as an astonishing breadth of sources from classic to contemporary---enough to capture any student's attention. Add to this some wonderfully lucid diagrams, and you have a book that is unmatched by any in its field."---Ron Cooper, Professor of Philosophy, College of Central Florida

"Critical Thinking is appealing because it is carefully and clearly written, presents concrete and contemporary examples, and is well-organized to capture the heuristic that guides students in learning to think critically. In addition, the template for the critical analysis of arguments (introduced in Chapter 1 and helpfully repeated in each chapter) is clear and effective."---Lauren Weis, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion, American University

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.

Pet Title has taught critical thinking and applied ethics at both the university and high school levels. She is the author of What if...Collected Thought Experiments in Philosophy, and the editor of Should Parents be Licensed? and Ethical Issues in Business: Enquiries, Cases, and Readings.