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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
A good coffee table book to reference when helping my brood of impressionable minds prepare for debates at their skrewls full of ideologues (both teachers and students). I like the concept of this book, but it would have been improved with some focus groups and/or usability testing. “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”
This is basically an expanded discussion of logical fallacies, but couched in this weird rabbits vs. badgers metaphor. The rabbits and badgers were so distracting! What's the point? On page 72, Almossawi cites a quote by Bobby Kennedy and introduces the quote as follows: "In a 1961 broadcast, an ex-attorney general, brother to the then-president, says." Then, directly after said quote, the author quotes James Baldwin who explicitly names (guess who?) Bobby Kennedy! Why this whole vague, faux-neutral language in the first place? I see no benefit to re-labeling groups as animals, and the illustrations add nothing to the impact of the book.
Additionally, the author often attributed quotes to "a paper of note" instead of just ... naming the publication. It's been printed--why not cite it properly?
Additionally, the author often attributed quotes to "a paper of note" instead of just ... naming the publication. It's been printed--why not cite it properly?
The book is interesting but far shorter than I expected.
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
As someone who hates fallacies, I loved this book. Amazing read and a great gift for the folks in your life that love to use strawmen and other logical fallacies to debate.
Love it!
Love it!
Given that I was looking for a book that would summarize different logical fallacies, this is exactly what I needed. It was great in that it seemed to cover quite a bit, was concise (as it promised) and well illustrated with some beautiful examples.
In the introduction, however, I think there were a couple of errors and parts of the book are a little unclear, despite the examples. Many of the different fallacies seem similar or share many aspects as well.
Would love to discuss this book with an expert in the field.
In the introduction, however, I think there were a couple of errors and parts of the book are a little unclear, despite the examples. Many of the different fallacies seem similar or share many aspects as well.
Would love to discuss this book with an expert in the field.
In my opinion, this is a very relevant book during election years. It is available at https://bookofbadarguments.com/ for a free read, but you can also buy it.
I love the pictures that go along with the types of bad arguments. Aside from assigning names to the bad arguments, it's not really new ground for me. I like to imagine that I utilize logic and common sense enough to avoid these types of arguments and recognize them coming from others.
I'd love for everyone who posts their opinions on Facebook to read this before posting. It won't happen.
I love the pictures that go along with the types of bad arguments. Aside from assigning names to the bad arguments, it's not really new ground for me. I like to imagine that I utilize logic and common sense enough to avoid these types of arguments and recognize them coming from others.
I'd love for everyone who posts their opinions on Facebook to read this before posting. It won't happen.
Definitely worth reading, though it does seem to gloss over certain areas. I'm not sure that it's terribly beginner friendly and couldn't bring it into my classes without some additional explanation and background.
Update upon second reading: having read this alongside a more academic source on the fallacies, it was useful for clarification when necessary but definitely not a good solitary source. Some of the illustrations aren't actually using the fallacies they're paired with, they only make jokes about them which can go right over the head of a reader who has selected this book to be their primary guide.
Update upon second reading: having read this alongside a more academic source on the fallacies, it was useful for clarification when necessary but definitely not a good solitary source. Some of the illustrations aren't actually using the fallacies they're paired with, they only make jokes about them which can go right over the head of a reader who has selected this book to be their primary guide.
challenging
funny
informative
fast-paced
This was fun and informative. Plus I love the illustrations! This is something I’ll probably read over and over again. So much learning.