Straight and Crooked Thinking
{{Short description|Book by Robert H. Thouless}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Straight and Crooked Thinking
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Straight and Crooked Thinking ISBN 0330241273.png
| caption =
| author = Robert H. Thouless
| cover_artist =
| country =
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Logic, psychology and education
| publisher = Simon & Schuster
| media_type = Print (hardcover and paperback)
| pages = 261 pp
| isbn = 0-330-24127-3
| dewey= 160
| congress= BC108 .T48 1974
| oclc= 1230940
| release_date = 1930
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
Straight and Crooked Thinking, first published in 1930 and revised in 1953, 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
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
{{Portal|Philosophy|Psychology}}