Asking the Right Questions with Readings

Book excerpt: This definitive and concise guide to thinking critically is now offered in a version with readings for analysis and discussion. Used in a variety of courses in various disciplines, Asking the Right Questions helps students bridge the gap between simply memorizing or blindly accepting information, and the greater challenge of critical analysis and synthesis. Specifically, this concise text teaches students to think critically by exploring the components of arguments--issues, conclusions, reasons, evidence, assumptions, language--and on how to spot fallacies and manipulations and obstacles to critical thinking. It teaches them to respond to alternative points of view and develop a solid foundation for making personal choices about what to accept and what to reject. This version contains 29 readings with accompanying critical thinking exercises and guidance.