Reasoning Books

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Dan Ariely

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Total reviews: 156 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

• Why do our headaches persist after taking a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a 50-cent aspirin?
• Why does recalling the Ten Commandments reduce our tendency to lie, even when we couldn't possibly be caught?
• Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup?
• Why do we go back for second helpings at the unlimited buffet, even when our stomachs are already full?
• And how did we ever start spending $4.15 on a cup of coffee when, just a few years ago, we used to pay less than a dollar?

When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we're in control. We think we're making smart, rational choices. But are we?

In a series of illuminating, often surprising experiments, MIT behavioral economist Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. Blending everyday experience with groundbreaking research, Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities.

Not only do we make astonishingly simple mistakes every day, but we make the same types of mistakes, Ariely discovers. We consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. We fail to understand the profound effects of our emotions on what we want, and we overvalue what we already own. Yet these misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable—making us predictably irrational.

From drinking coffee to losing weight, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, Ariely explains how to break through these systematic patterns of thought to make better decisions. Predictably Irrational will change the way we interact with the world—one small decision at a time.

I Want It (Crary, Elizabeth, Children's Problem Solving Book.) (Crary, Elizabeth, Children's Problem Solving Book.)

Elizabeth Crary

Amazon Price: $7.95 List Price: $7.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Parenting Pr Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $2.38

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great tool for parents and professionals! 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This book helped me teach my four and six year olds the way to problem solve. By looking at outcome choices for the situation presented in the book, they were able to see that there are ways to achive positive outcomes with different solutions. It really works! Of course, it helped that the main characters shared my daughters names because they could truly feel like they were part of the story. Thumbs up on this book!

Editorial Review:

Megan and Amy want to play with the same truck What will happen? Helps preschool and elementary school-aged children begin to learn problem-solving skills.

Mommy, Don't Go (Crary, Elizabeth, Children's Problem Solving Book.) (Crary, Elizabeth, Children's Problem Solving Book.)

Elizabeth Crary

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Mommy, Don't Go 5 out of 5 stars.
23 of 28 people found this review helpful.

This book seems to have really helped my daughter! Now, when I'm getting ready to go somewhere and she starts clinging to me I remind her about Matthew (the boy in the book) and she accepts the separation better.

Editorial Review:

Matthew's mom is going on a trip. He feels sad and scared. You can help Matthew decide how to solve his problem. If you don't like what happens, you can make a different choice.

The Art of Reasoning

David Kelley

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Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Perfect Introduction to Logic 5 out of 5 stars.
47 of 47 people found this review helpful.

Although I originally learned logic using Hardegree's _Symbolic Logic_, Kelley's book is a vastly superior text for teaching logic to students and inspiring interest in the subject. Many academics complain that you can't teach Critical Reasoning without covering Aristotelian & symbolic logic; they then complain that Aristotelian & symbolic logic is of no importance or interest to non-philosophy majors, and so that it would be preferable to teach Critical Reasoning.

David Kelley accomplishes something incredible in this book: he teaches BOTH, and he shows how they are connected. He starts the reader off with a general discussion of concepts, definitions, and propositions. Then he shows the reader how to analyze the basic structure of arguments, using op-eds and Supreme Court decisions as illustrations. He then moves into Aristotelian logic, venn diagrams, and the informal Fallacies. After this, he discusses sentential logic and the canonical patterns of inference. In the next section, he introduces the Russell/Frege predicate calculus (and Fred Sommers' term logic) and shows how it expands the precision of argumentative analysis. Finally, he discusses inductive logic, including how to generalize correctly, how to evaluate arguments by analogy, and how to form and test hypotheses.

This is a perfect introduction to logic because it teaches one how to think clearly ("in a straight line," as Flew once put it) about issues that one encounters in ordinary life. At the same time, it equips the student who wants to go further in philosophy with the powerful (Russell/Frege) analytic techniques appropriate to that task. There is NO CHANCE that a student who reads this book will be left wondering about the importance of logic. In addition, Kelley is an expert communicator, and he explains away many of the confusions that people have about reason and logic in our "postmodern" age.

Editorial Review:

* Inviting prose
* Lucid style
* Familiar language
* Practical applications
* Real-world examples

Succeed at IQ Tests: Improve Your Numerical, Verbal and Spatial Reasoning Skills

Philip Carter, Ken Russell

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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> Logic & Brain Teasers

Editorial Review:

IQ tests are a common feature of both the educational system and recruitment and selection procedures. Practicing the different types of tests can improve one's verbal, numerical, and spatial reasoning skills, boost confidence and improve IQ rating. Succeed at IQ Tests contains 400 questions, typical of those likely to appear in actual IQ tests. The questions are organized into 10 timed tests of 40 questions each. Each test includes a guide for scoring the results. In addition to providing practice for IQ test candidates, Succeed at IQ Tests provides readers with plenty of opportunity to exercise their minds for entertainment.

Six Thinking Hats: An essential approach to business management

Edward De Bono

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Total reviews: 55 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The Six Thinking Hats 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Edward De Bono's Six Thinking Hats is a quick read.
I thought it was redundant and could have been half
as long. I Was bored at times. De Bono's Six Hat Method
was intentionally designed to be simple. that is the beauty of it.
The six thinking hats can very easilily be applied to a meeting
in order to really get things moving and that is extremely valuable.
i believe people should read this book, not because its a good book,
but because what De Bono demonstrates is a very powerful toolway tool.
-Rogelio Potash
CPP

Teaches the Left Brain and Right Crossover! 5 out of 5 stars.
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The Six Thinking Hats is an easy to learn and apply, but powerful method to group decision making. Edward De Bono's common sense approach is both refreshing and insightful.

The Six Thinking Hats helps people use both their left and right brains efficiently by separating them into compartments (Thinking Hats). In other words, De Bono teaches how to achieve a strong Left Brain, Right Brain Crossover.

Each of the hats uses part of the left, or the right brain.
* The White Hat addresses facts and data -Left Brain
* The Red Hat addresses emotions - Right Brain
* The Black Hat addresses the weaknesses in ideas- Left Brain
* The Yellow Hat is hopeful and positive - Right Brain
* The Green Hat addresses creativity -Right Brain
* The Blue Hat is concerned with control -Left Brain

By separating thought patterns into compartments De Bono argues convincingly it is easier to come to rational conclusions for solving problems based on all aspects of the brain. In the Conclusion of the book he states:

"The biggest enemy of thinking is complexity, for that leads to confusion. When thinking is clear and simple, it becomes more enjoyable and more effective. The Six Thinking Hats concept is very simple to understand. It is also very simple to use."

Overall a fascinating and useful thinking tool for solving problems!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Editorial Review:

Using case studies and real-life examples of his "six thinking hats", de Bono shows how each of us can become a better thinker through deliberate role-playing.

Becoming a Critical Thinker: User Friendly Manual (5th Edition)

Sherry Diestler

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Editorial Review:

This book trains students to distinguish high-quality, well-supported arguments from arguments with little or no evidence to support them. It develops the skills required to effectively evaluate the many claims facing them as citizens, learners, consumers, and human beings, and also to be effective advocates for their beliefs. Chapter topics include the foundations of arguments, reality and value assumptions and ethics, inductive arguments and generalizations, reasoning errors, the power of language, media literacy, fairmindedness, and persuasive speaking. For critical thinkers who want to be discerning about the messages they read or hear; make decisions based on careful consideration of both facts and values; be alert to distortion in reporting and advertising; and, defend their own viewpoints.

Instant Creativity: Simple Techniques to Ignite Innovation & Problem Solving

Brian Clegg, Paul Birch

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INSTANT CREATIVITY is a top pick for both general interest and business libraries alike. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

INSTANT CREATIVITY: SIMPLE TECHNIQUES TO IGNITE INNOVATION & PROBLEM SOLVING provides an action kit of exercises designed to enhance creativity. From identifying common problems and approaches to generating ideas to learning how to tap into creative energy, some seventy techniques are outlined, with feedback and variations throughout. An excellent tool for uncovering not only personal but business creativity, INSTANT CREATIVITY is a top pick for both general interest and business libraries alike.

Editorial Review:

Instant Creativity is a collection of tried and tested techniques to encourage individuals and groups to make the most of their creativity. It offers over 70 quick and simple exercises to help find fresh ideas and solutions to problems. It is designed to assist in combating low inspiration, brainstorming ideas for new projects, creating a better understanding of an ongoing problem, or for seeking a general direction. The range of ideas will help tap into the creative energies of any individual or an uninspired team. They are particularly useful for marketers, advertising professionals, and project designers.

Bounded Rationality: The Adaptive Toolbox

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In a complex and uncertain world, humans and animals make decisions under the constraints of limited knowledge, resources, and time. Yet models of rational decision making in economics, cognitive science, biology, and other fields largely ignore these real constraints and instead assume agents with perfect information and unlimited time. About forty years ago, Herbert Simon challenged this view with his notion of "bounded rationality." Today, bounded rationality has become a fashionable term used for disparate views of reasoning. This book promotes bounded rationality as the key to understanding how real people make decisions. Using the concept of an "adaptive toolbox," a repertoire of fast and frugal rules for decision making under uncertainty, it attempts to impose more order and coherence on the idea of bounded rationality. The contributors view bounded rationality neither as optimization under constraints nor as the study of people’s reasoning fallacies. The strategies in the adaptive toolbox dispense with optimization and, for the most part, with calculations of probabilities and utilities. The book extends the concept of bounded rationality from cognitive tools to emotions; it analyzes social norms, imitation, and other cultural tools as rational strategies; and it shows how smart heuristics can exploit the structure of environments.

How to Think Straight: An Introduction to Critical Reasoning

Antony Flew

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Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

What's a book review for, anyway? 3 out of 5 stars.
17 of 17 people found this review helpful.

Oh dear. It seems the Amazon book-review section has become another battleground for the IDers.

A few points in response:

1. The previous "review" is, in fact, nothing more than a stale old newspaper editorial that was copied and pasted here without any updating. This particular item dates from almost a year ago. At that time, though, Professor Flew publicly denied rumors that he had converted to theism, releasing a statement titled "Sorry to Disappoint, But I'm Still an Atheist" (Rationalist International Bulletin #137, 12 December 2004). Since then, however, he has been doing a coy little maybe-I-am-and-maybe-I'm-not fan dance about his supposed deism (not theism, please note). He's obviously enjoying all the attention he's been getting recently, and the last thing I want to do is deny an old man one last frolic in the limelight. But I don't think we should read too much into his latest pirouette.

2. Professor Richard Lewontin is hardly "stacking the deck" in his statement about the nature of science. Science simply *is* the search for materialistic explanations for natural phenomena. And it is precisely *because* science has adhered to this rigorously disciplined approach that it has been so spectacularly successful for the last 400 years. Science has nothing whatsoever to say about the existence of God, either pro or con. That's a question that lies completely outside the proper scope of science. (It's true that the discoveries of science, particularly in biology and geology, contradict biblical literalism. But then, biblical literalism is not synonymous with religion in general, or even with Christianity as a whole.)

3. For Intelligent Design to be considered a genuine scientific theory, capable of replacing Charles Darwin's very highly confirmed theory of evolution by natural selection, it must do more than just point to a few spots at the cutting edge of science (e.g., the emerging field of protobiology) where our knowledge is perforce a bit fuzzy. ID must do two things: it must do a better job than the reigning theory does of accounting for all the data, and it must make more accurate predictions than the reigning theory does. If ID doesn't do these two things, then it's utterly useless and cannot qualify as a scientific theory. And in fact, ID fails on both counts. How well does it account for all the data? Very poorly indeed. Has it made any accurate predictions? None whatsoever. Can it even generate any testable hypotheses? No. Basically, ID is just our old friend "The God of the Gaps", an old and dodgy maneuver whereby the arguer asserts that any natural phenomenon not currently explained by science must be the result of divine intervention. One glaring and amusingly ironic problem with this maneuver is that it puts God in a rather precarious and vulnerable position: Whenever science successfully explains a previously unexplained phenomenon, God (as defined by the IDers) is forced to retreat a little further, gradually disappearing as our scientific knowledge increases. The smart move, you'd think, would be to *avoid* putting God in a sure-lose situation.

Anyway, "How To Think Straight" is not one of Professor Flew's best books. It has its good points, but overall I agree with those who complain about its turgid, sloppy prose. I much prefer Flew's Dictionary of Philosophy, one of the best books of its kind.

Editorial Review:

Celebrated philosopher Antony Flew entertainingly instructs on the many and varied faults that occur in argument, the power of reason, how to challenge assertions and find evidence, and how not to be persuaded by half-truths. Lucid, terse, and sensible, this enlightening second edition helps readers gain the skills necessary to argue and reason effectively.