The objective of this book is to equip the reader with the skill set to identify and avoid Logical Fallacies and understand the utility of Logic and the principles of argumentation.
Whether you're a university or postgraduate student, a middle manager or CEO, an entrepreneur, or a professional seeking to leverage your Critical Thinking2 and argumentation skills, this book is a guide as well as serves as a road map along your journey to the identification of logical fallacies, the utility of logic and argumentation. It is designed to navigate as well as illuminate the path to the achievement of your goals. Discernment, reasoning, and Critical Thinking2 with a deeper understanding of the "How," "What," and "Why" - are some lessons to be learned. You will become more effective as a writer, orator, debater, and critical thinker. Ultimately, the result will be for the reader to become more insightful and nuanced when participating in the expository arena of debating ideas. By the time you reach the final chapter, you will have gained a much deeper understanding of how to think more critically, rationally, logically, and, thereby, reason and posit your Argument or Claim more effectively. Some Chapter highlights follow.
Chapter Two presents Formal Logical Fallacies (deductive or non-sequitur) fallacies, where the structure or form of an Argument or Claim is invalid, regardless of the truth or falsity of its underlying premises. Then, deep diving into the world of Informal Logical Fallacies in Chapter Three, skip-stones from the classic "Ad hominem" attack to "Equivocation," to the "Slippery Slope" Argument, and many others. Each Logical Fallacy is dissected and explained in detail, accompanied by a real-world example(s) to illustrate their corrupt or erroneous usage, parlance, and impact. By uncovering and understanding the various types of fallacious reasoning, readers will be better equipped to circumvent the complexities of faulty reasoning in argumentation and arrive at truth using sound, stepwise, rationally derived conclusions through logic. The knowledge process, and therefore truth, is the final desired outcome in argumentation. Reasoning, using principles of logic, and Critical Thinking2 are complementary important subject matters of the Book discussed in Chapters Four through Eleven. Templates, worksheets, frameworks, techniques and tools as well as checklists for problem solving and decision-making are presented in Chapter Twelve. Chapter 13 discusses how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will become central to Critical Thinking2, Logic, and argumentation, closing the circle. The Epilogue presents the Mandela Effect as a special topic. Appendix One presents an argumentation and logic Reasoning API designed to help users construct, evaluate, and refine Arguments. It offers several key features, including Logical Fallacy detection, Argument construction templates, and Argument strength and validity feedback. Appendix Two offers an Excel Visual Basic for Application (VBA) Code and a separate MACRO Code program (automating manual actions) to identify a Logical Fallacy within text utilizing basic keyword matching to detect the most common Logical Fallacies. Appendix Three is a lighthearted example of the Utility of logic, and pragmatism applied to the "Weather Rock."
This book is a companion to Critical Thinking2 - A Force Multiplier (2024), a Primer on Problem Analysis and Decision-Making, and a great introduction to furthering your career and studies. The wisdom and lessons contained within both Books can be utilized to supplement your Life-Long Learning, optimize your presentations of Arguments or Claims in the Boardroom, classroom, lecture hall, and across the negotiating table, or be a resource reference for Leaders, Business Managers, and Entrepreneurs, as well as those aspiring to reach those lofty heights.