Being Logical : A Guide to Good Thinking

Whether regarded as a science, an art, or a skill–and it can properly be regarded as all three–logic is the basis of our ability to think, analyze, argue, and communicate. Indeed, logic goes to the very core of what we mean by human intelligence. In this concise, crisply readable book, distinguished professor D. Q. McInerny offers an indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInerny’s Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice. As McInerny notes, logic is a deep, wide, and wonderfully varied field, with a bearing on every aspect of our intellectual life. A mastery of logic begins with an understanding of right reasoning–and encompasses a grasp of the close kinship between logical thought and logical expression, a knowledge of the basic terms of argument, and a familiarity with the pitfalls of illogical thinking. Accordingly, McInerny structures his book in a series of brief, penetrating chapters that build on one another to form a unified and coherent introduction to clear and effective reasoning. At the heart of the book is a brilliant consideration of argument–how an argument is founded and elaborated, how it differs from other forms of intellectual discourse, and how it critically embodies the elements of logic. McInerny teases out the subtleties and complexities of premises and conclusions, differentiates statements of fact from statements of value, and discusses the principles and uses of every major type of argument, from the syllogistic to the conditional. In addition, he provides an incisive look at illogical thinking and explains how to recognize and avoid the most common errors of logic. Elegant, pithy, and precise, Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a professional sharpening your career skills or an amateur devoted to the fine points of thought and expression, you are sure to find this brief guide to effecting reasoning both fascinating and illuminating. From the Hardcover edition. Cover......Page 1 Copyright page......Page 8 Preface......Page 13 Contents......Page 17 Part One—Preparing the Mind for Logic......Page 21 1. Be Attentive......Page 23 2. Get the Facts Straight......Page 24 4. Be Mindful of the Origins of Ideas......Page 27 5. Match Ideas to Facts......Page 29 6. Match Words to Ideas......Page 31 7. Effective Communication......Page 32 Speak in complete sentences.......Page 34 Avoid double negatives.......Page 35 8. Avoid Vague and Ambiguous Language......Page 36 9. Avoid Evasive Language......Page 38 10. Truth......Page 39 Part Two—The Basic Principles of Logic......Page 43 1. First Principles......Page 45 The Principle of the Excluded Middle......Page 46 The Principle of Sufficient Reason......Page 47 The Principle of Contradiction......Page 48 2. Real Gray Areas, Manufactured Gray Areas......Page 50 3. There's an Explanation for Everything, Eventually......Page 52 4. Don't Stop Short in the Search for Causes......Page 53 5. Distinguish Among Causes......Page 55 6. Define Your Terms......Page 57 7. The Categorical Statement......Page 61 8. Generalizing......Page 62 Part Three—Argument: The Language of Logic......Page 65 1. Founding an Argument......Page 67 2. The Move from Universal to Particular......Page 69 3. The Move from Particular to Universal......Page 70 4. Predication......Page 71 5. Negative Statements......Page 72 6. Making Comparisons......Page 75 7. Comparison and Argument......Page 78 8. Sound Argument......Page 79 Conjunctive Argument......Page 81 Disjunctive Argument......Page 82 9, Conditional Argument......Page 83 10. Syllogistic Argument......Page 87 12. The Relevancy of Premises......Page 90 13. Statements of Fact, Statements of Value......Page 92 14. Argumentative Form......Page 93 15. Conclusions Must Reflect Quantity of Premises......Page 97 16. Conclusions Must Reflect Quality of Premises......Page 99 17. Inductive Argument......Page 101 18. Assessing Argument......Page 104 The Truth of Premises......Page 106 The Strength of Premises......Page 107 Part Four—The Sources of Illogical Thinking......Page 109 1. Skepticism......Page 111 2. Evasive Agnosticism......Page 112 3. Cynicism and NaÏve Optimism......Page 113 4. Narrow-Mindedness......Page 114 5. Emotion and Argument......Page 115 6. The Reason for Reasoning......Page 116 7. Argumentation Is Not Quarreling......Page 117 9. Common Sense......Page 118 Part Five—The Principal Forms of Illogical Thinking......Page 121 1. Denying the Antecedent......Page 124 2. Affirming the Consequent......Page 125 4. Equivocation......Page 126 5. Begging the Question......Page 129 6. False Assumptions......Page 131 8. Using and Abusing Tradition......Page 132 9. Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right......Page 133 10. The Democratic Fallacy......Page 134 12. Substituting for the Force of Reason......Page 135 13. The Uses and Abuses of Expertise......Page 136 14. The Quantifying of Quality......Page 137 15. Consider More Than the Source......Page 139 17. Reductionism......Page 140 19. The Red Herring......Page 141 20. Laughter as Diversionary Tactic......Page 142 21. Tears as Diversionary Tactic......Page 143 22. An Inability to Disprove Does Not Prove......Page 144 24. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc......Page 145 26. The Fallacy of Expediency......Page 147 28. Simplistic Reasoning......Page 148 Afterword......Page 151 Index......Page 153 About the Author......Page 159 logic logic;,critical,thinking;,reasoning logic,critical thinking,reasoning Cover 1 Copyright page 8 Preface 13 Contents 17 Part One鈥擯reparing the Mind for Logic 21 1. Be Attentive 23 2. Get the Facts Straight 24 3. Ideas and the Objects of Ideas 27 4. Be Mindful of the Origins of Ideas 27 5. Match Ideas to Facts 29 6. Match Words to Ideas 31 7. Effective Communication 32 Don't assume your audience understands your meaning if you don't make it explicit. 34 Speak in complete sentences. 34 Don't treat evaluative statements as if they were statements of objective fact. 35 Avoid double negatives. 35 Gear your language to your audience. 36 8. Avoid Vague and Ambiguous Language 36 9. Avoid Evasive Language 38 10. Truth 39 Part Two鈥擳he Basic Principles of Logic 43 1. First Principles 45 The Principle of Identity 46 The Principle of the Excluded Middle 46 The Principle of Sufficient Reason 47 The Principle of Contradiction 48 2. Real Gray Areas, Manufactured Gray Areas 50 3. There's an Explanation for Everything, Eventually 52 4. Don't Stop Short in the Search for Causes 53 5. Distinguish Among Causes 55 6. Define Your Terms 57 7. The Categorical Statement 61 8. Generalizing 62 Part Three鈥擜rgument: The Language of Logic 65 1. Founding an Argument 67 2. The Move from Universal to Particular 69 3. The Move from Particular to Universal 70 4. Predication 71 5. Negative Statements 72 6. Making Comparisons 75 7. Comparison and Argument 78 8. Sound Argument 79 Conjunctive Argument 81 Disjunctive Argument 82 9, Conditional Argument 83 10. Syllogistic Argument 87 11. The Truth of Premises 90 12. The Relevancy of Premises 90 13. Statements of Fact, Statements of Value 92 14. Argumentative Form 93 15. Conclusions Must Reflect Quantity of Premises 97 16. Conclusions Must Reflect Quality of Premises 99 17. Inductive Argument 101 18. Assessing Argument 104 19. Constructing an Argument 106 The Truth of Premises 106 The Strength of Premises 107 Part Four鈥擳he Sources of Illogical Thinking 109 1. Skepticism 111 2. Evasive Agnosticism 112 3. Cynicism and Na脧ve Optimism 113 4. Narrow-Mindedness 114 5. Emotion and Argument 115 6. The Reason for Reasoning 116 7. Argumentation Is Not Quarreling 117 8. The Limits of Sincerity 118 9. Common Sense 118 Part Five鈥擳he Principal Forms of Illogical Thinking 121 1. Denying the Antecedent 124 2. Affirming the Consequent 125 3. The Undistributed Middle Term 126 4. Equivocation 126 5. Begging the Question 129 6. False Assumptions 131 7. The Straw-Man Fallacy 132 8. Using and Abusing Tradition 132 9. Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right 133 10. The Democratic Fallacy 134 11. The Ad Hominem Fallacy 135 12. Substituting for the Force of Reason 135 13. The Uses and Abuses of Expertise 136 14. The Quantifying of Quality 137 15. Consider More Than the Source 139 16. Stopping Short at Analysis 140 17. Reductionism 140 18. Misclassification 141 19. The Red Herring 141 20. Laughter as Diversionary Tactic 142 21. Tears as Diversionary Tactic 143 22. An Inability to Disprove Does Not Prove 144 23. The False Dilemma 145 24. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc 145 25. Special Pleading 147 26. The Fallacy of Expediency 147 27. Avoiding Conclusions 148 28. Simplistic Reasoning 148 Afterword 151 Index 153 About the Author 159

Whether regarded as a science, an art, or a skill–and it can properly be regarded as all three–logic is the basis of our ability to think, analyze, argue, and communicate. Indeed, logic goes to the very core of what we mean by human intelligence. In this concise, crisply readable book, distinguished professor D. Q. McInerny offers an indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInerny’s Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice.

As McInerny notes, logic is a deep, wide, and wonderfully varied field, with a bearing on every aspect of our intellectual life. A mastery of logic begins with an understanding of right reasoning–and encompasses a grasp of the close kinship between logical thought and logical expression, a knowledge of the basic terms of argument, and a familiarity with the pitfalls of illogical thinking. Accordingly, McInerny structures his book in a series of brief, penetrating chapters that build on one another to form a unified and coherent introduction to clear and effective reasoning.

At the heart of the book is a brilliant consideration of argument–how an argument is founded and elaborated, how it differs from other forms of intellectual discourse, and how it critically embodies the elements of logic. McInerny teases out the subtleties and complexities of premises and conclusions, differentiates statements of fact from statements of value, and discusses the principles and uses of every major type of argument, from the syllogistic to the conditional. Inaddition, he provides an incisive look at illogical thinking and explains how to recognize and avoid the most common errors of logic.

Elegant, pithy, and precise, Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a professional sharpening your career skills or an amateur devoted to the fine points of thought and expression, you are sure to find this brief guide to effecting reasoning both fascinating and illuminating.


From the Hardcover edition.

Whether regarded as a science, an art, or a skill-and it can properly be regarded as all three-logic is the basis of our ability to think, analyze, argue, and communicate. Indeed, logic goes to the very core of what we mean by human intelligence. In this concise, crisply readable book, distinguished professor D. Q. McInerny offers an indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInerny's Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and White'sThe Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice. As McInerny notes, logic is a deep, wide, and wonderfully varied field, with a bearing on every aspect of our intellectual life. A mastery of logic begins with an understanding of right reasoning-and encompasses a grasp of the close kinship between logical thought and logical expression, a knowledge of the basic terms of argument, and a familiarity with the pitfalls of illogical thinking. Accordingly, McInerny structures his book in a series of brief, penetrating chapters that build on one another to form a unified and coherent introduction to clear and effective reasoning. At the heart of the book is a brilliant consideration of argument-how an argument is founded and elaborated, how it differs from other forms of intellectual discourse, and how it critically embodies the elements of logic. McInerny teases out the subtleties and complexities of premises and conclusions, differentiates statements of fact from statements of value, and discusses the principles and uses of every major type of argument, from the syllogistic to the conditional. In addition, he provides an incisive look at illogical thinking and explains how to recognize and avoid the most common errors of logic. Elegant, pithy, and precise, Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a professional sharpening your career skills or an amateur devoted to the fine points of thought and expression, you are sure to find this brief guide to effecting reasoning both fascinating and illuminating. -- Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, LLC An essential tool for our post-truth world: a witty primer on logic—and the dangers of illogical thinking—by a renowned Notre Dame professor Logic is synonymous with reason, judgment, sense, wisdom, and sanity. Being logical is the ability to create concise and reasoned arguments—arguments that build from given premises, using evidence, to a genuine conclusion. But mastering logical thinking also requires studying and understanding illogical thinking, both to sharpen one's own skills and to protect against incoherent, or deliberately misleading, reasoning. Elegant, pithy, and precise, Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. D. Q. McInerney covers the sources of illogical thinking, from naïve optimism to narrow-mindedness, before dissecting the various tactics—red herrings, diversions, and simplistic reasoning—the illogical use in place of effective reasoning. An indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life, this is a concise, crisply readable book. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInerny's Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and White's The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice. Praise for Being Logical “Highly readable... D. Q. McInerny offers an introduction to symbolic logic in plain English, so you can finally be clear on what is deductive reasoning and what is inductive. And you'll see how deductive arguments are constructed.”—Detroit Free Press “McInerny's explanatory outline of sound thinking will be eminently beneficial to expository writers, debaters, and public speakers.”—Booklist “Given the shortage of logical thinking, And the fact that mankind is adrift, if not sinking, It is vital that all of us learn to think straight. And this small book by D.Q. McInerny is great. It follows therefore since we so badly need it, Everybody should not only but it, but read it.” —Charles Osgood An essential tool for our post-truth world: a witty primer on logicand the dangers of illogical thinkingby a renowned Notre Dame professor Logic is synonymous with reason, judgment, sense, wisdom, and sanity. Being logical is the ability to create concise and reasoned argumentsarguments that build from given premises, using evidence, to a genuine conclusion. But mastering logical thinking also requires studying and understanding illogical thinking, both to sharpen ones own skills and to protect against incoherent, or deliberately misleading, reasoning. Elegant, pithy, and precise, Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. D. Q. McInerney covers the sources of illogical thinking, from nave optimism to narrow-mindedness, before dissecting the various tacticsred herrings, diversions, and simplistic reasoningthe illogical use in place of effective reasoning. An indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life, this is a concise, crisply readable book. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInernys Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice. Praise for Being Logical Highly readable . . . D. Q. McInerny offers an introduction to symbolic logic in plain English, so you can finally be clear on what is deductive reasoning and what is inductive. And youll see how deductive arguments are constructed. Detroit Free Press McInernys explanatory outline of sound thinking will be eminently beneficial to expository writers, debaters, and public speakers. Booklist Given the shortage of logical thinking, And the fact that mankind is adrift, if not sinking, It is vital that all of us learn to think straight. And this small book by D.Q. McInerny is great. It follows therefore since we so badly need it, Everybody should not only but it, but read it. Charles Osgood "Whether regarded as a science, an art, or a skill - and it can properly be regarded as all three - logic is the basis of our ability to think, analyze, argue, and communicate. Indeed, logic goes to the very core of what we mean by human intelligence. In this book, Professor D.Q. McInerny offers a guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInerny's Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and White's The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice." "In Being Logical, D.Q. McInerny breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis, accessible examples, and focused insights. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a professional honing your career skills or a generalist devoted to the fine points of thought and expression, you are sure to find Being Logical an invaluable guide to reasoning."--Jacket Whether regarded as a science, an art, or a skill{u2013}and it can properly be regarded as all three{u2013}logic is the basis of our ability to think, analyze, argue, and communicate. Indeed, logic goes to the very core of what we mean by human intelligence. In this concise, crisply readable book, distinguished professor D.Q. McInerny offers an indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life. Written explicitly for the layperson, McInerny{u2019}s Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and White{u2019}s The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid, invaluable advice A layperson's guide to using logic in everyday life defines the elements of clear reasoning, discussing the uses of major argument types while explaining how to avoid common logic errors. Reprint. 12,500 first printing. Being logical presupposes our having a sensitivity to language and a knack for its effective use, for logic and language are inseparable.