Publisher's warning: In the wrong hands this book is dangerous. We recommend that you arm yourself with it whilst keeping it out of the hands of others. Only buy this book as a gift if you are sure that you can trust the recipient.
In this witty and infectious book, Madsen Pirie provides a complete guide to using—and indeed abusing—logic in order to win arguments. He identifies with devastating examples all the most common fallacies popularly used in arguments. We all like to think of ourselves as clear-headed and logical—but all readers will find in this book fallacies of which they themselves are guilty. The author shows you how to simultaneously strengthen your own thinking and identify the weaknesses in other people arguments. And, more mischievously, Pirie also shows how to be deliberately illogical—and get away with it! This book will make you maddeningly smart: your family, friends and opponents will all wish that you had never read it.
The book includes entries on:
• Affirming the consequent
• Blinding with science
• Conclusion which denies premises
• Emotional appeals
• The Exception that proves the rule
• Half-concealed qualification
• Poisoning the well
• Positive conclusion from negative premise
• Shifting the burden of proof
• Trivial questions