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• NEW - Abundance of new examples and exercises throughout—Drawn from recent advertisements; political debates; Supreme Court cases; and trials.

  • Students deal with arguments and issues they have recently seen in the news and discussed among themselves.

• NEW - Chapter on scientific reasoning—Includes information on making causal judgments.

  • Discusses distinguishing legitimate scientific claims from the pseudoscientific. Also includes extensive material on the nature of scientific inquiry and the methods of testing scientific hypotheses.

• Real-life examples and cases—Drawn from court trials; judicial reviews; advertising; political campaigns; and controversial social issues.

  • Show students clearly how critical thinking skills can be applied to their present and future lives outside of the classroom.

• Focus on systematic skills—Rather than isolated techniques, students make rulings concerning an argument. Is this argument relevant? Is the burden of proof appropriately placed?; Students weigh competing arguments to determine which is the strongest and construct their own arguments by analogy using cited judicial precedents.

  • Instructors find it easier to teach new material because students already have an argument context that orients them to the new material and helps them place it in a familiar setting. Students find new topics less intimidating; the material may be new, but it is in a setting with familiar landmarks.

• Readable, conversational style with substance—Avoids a heavy “textbook” feel and tone.

  • Allows students to easily read and understand the text on their own, giving instructors the freedom to present different, complimentary material in class, confident that students will come to class prepared.

• “Argue Your Case” segments.

  • Give students practice in developing cogent and compelling arguments for a specific position, and helps them develop an appreciation of the importance of good arguments and a sense of the positive benefits of critical thinking in addition to simple protection against being fooled by fallacies.

• “Consider the Verdict” boxes—Integrated into the text and exercises.

  • Give students the opportunity to evaluate, compare, and critique arguments and competing arguments.

• A wealth of exercises—Includes chapter-end and longer comprehensive review exercises drawn from real-life cases involving trials, judicial reviews, advertising, political campaigns, and arguments over controversial social issues.

  • Students’ interest is maintained when exercises reflect real-life situations.

• Optional chapter on “Thinking Critically about Statistics”—Chapter 7 examines the use and misuse of surveys, averages, and statistical comparisons.

  • Instructors can add this important material to their critical thinking courses at any point in the semester.

• Suggested Website resources—For many chapters.

  • Encourage students’ study and exploration of further materials.

• Glossary.

  • Provides students with a handy source of reference and easy access to all the terms and definitions used throughout the text.

New To This Edition

• Abundance of new examples and exercises throughout—Drawn from recent advertisements; political debates; Supreme Court cases; and trials.

  • Students deal with arguments and issues they have recently seen in the news and discussed among themselves.

• Chapter on scientific reasoning—Includes information on making causal judgments.

  • Discusses distinguishing legitimate scientific claims from the pseudoscientific. Also includes extensive material on the nature of scientific inquiry and the methods of testing scientific hypotheses.

Table of Contents



 1. Introduction.


 2. A Few Important Terms.


 3. What’s the Question?


 4. Relevant and Irrelevant Reasons.


 5. The Burden of Proof.


 6. Analyzing Arguments.


 7. Necessary and Sufficient Conditions.


 8. Symbolic Sentential Logic.


 9. Arguments about Classes.


10. Ad Hominem Arguments.


11. Appeal to Authority.


12. The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth.


13. Strawman, Slippery Slope, Dilemma, and Golden Mean Arguments: Their Use and Abuse.


14. Begging the Question.


15. Arguments by Analogy.


16. Scientific Reasoning.


17. Thinking Critically about Statistics.


Consider Your Verdict.


Key Terms.


Answers to Selected Exercises.


Index.

Courses

Critical Thinking  (Philosophy)

Next Edition(s)

• Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict, 6/E
  Waller
  ©2012  |  Pearson  |  Paper; 480 pp  |  Instock
  ISBN-10: 0205158668  |  ISBN-13: 9780205158669
  Suggested retail price: $97.80  Buy from myPearsonStoreNet price: $73.35  (What's this?)Brief Description  | 

  

  Integrating Logic Skills into the Critical Decision-Making Process

   

  Organized around lively and authentic examples drawn from jury trials, contemporary political and social debate, and advertising, Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict shows students how to detect fallacies and how to examine and construct cogent arguments. 

   

  Accessible and reader friendly–yet thorough and rigorous–Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict shows students how to integrate all logic skills into the critical decision-making process, and construct arguments from examples gained through the study of contemporary and historic debates, both legal and popular.

   

   

  Teaching and Learning Experience

   

  Personalize Learning - MyThinkingLab delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals.

   

  Improve Critical Thinking - “Argue Your Case” segments, “Consider the Verdict” boxes, real-life examples and cases, and an optional chapter on “Thinking Critically about Statistics” all encourage students to examine their assumptions, discern hidden values, evaluate evidence, assess their conclusions, and more!

   

  Engage Students - Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict’s readable, conversational style, wealth of exercises, suggested Website resources, glossary (and more!) allows your students to easily read, understand and engage with the text.

                                                                                                                          

  Support Instructors - Teaching your course just got easier!  You can create a Customized Text or use our Instructor’s Manual, Electronic “MyTest” Test Bank or PowerPoint Presentation Slides. Plus, instructors find it easy to teach from Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict because students are given an argument context that orients them to new material and helps them place it in a familiar setting — giving you the freedom to present different, complimentary material in class!

   

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Reviews

"The author does an excellent job of dealing with a great number of controversial issues, and provides a rich resource of explanations and examples. One of the most laudable features of this text is its highly sensitive and enlightened treatment of issues related to the diverse world in which we live." – Allyn Kahn, Champlain College

"I enjoy Waller's style. I have had a number of students tell me that they too enjoy it. Waller's voice is that of a really good teacher having a good time while he's at it. In fact, he makes it look pretty effortless." – Michael A. Principe, Middle Tennessee University

Backcover Copy

Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict is organized around lively and authentic examples drawn from jury trials, contemporary political and social debate, and advertising. This introduction to critical thinking shows students not only how to detect fallacies, but also how to examine, appreciate, and construct cogent arguments. Accessible and reader friendly—yet thorough and rigorous—it shows them how to integrate all of their logic skills into the critical decision-making process they undertake in their own lives as citizens and consumers.

• New to this edition—an entirely new chapter on scientific reasoning
• Real-life examples and cases
• Systematic skills, rather than isolated techniques
• Argue Your Case segments
• An optional chapter on "Thinking Critically About Statistics" examines the use (and misuse) of surveys, averages, and statistical comparisons.
• A wealth of exercises
• Suggested Website resources

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