Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders |  | Author: Jamie Whyte
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
List Price: $14.95
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Seller: effenbooks
Rating:  119 reviews
Sales Rank: 4030
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 176
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.9 x 5 x 0.6
ISBN: 0071446435
Dewey Decimal Number: 160
UPC: 639785416821
EAN: 9780071446433
ASIN: 0071446435
Publication Date: September 12, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A witty assault on lame rhetoric, specious logic, and official BS Here's a fast-paced, ruthlessly funny romp through the mulligan stew of illogic, unreason, and just plain drivel served up daily in the media by pundits, psychics, ad agencies, New Age gurus, statisticians, free trade ideologues, business "thinkers," and, of course, politicians. Award-winning young philosopher Jamie Whyte applies his laser-like wit to dozens of timely examples in order to deconstruct the rhetoric and cut through the haze of shibboleth and doubletalk to get at the real issues. A troubleshooting guide to both public and private discourse, Crimes Against Logic: Analyzes the 12 major logical fallacies, with examples from the media and everyday life Takes no prisoners as it goes up against the scientific, religious, academic, and political establishments Helps you fine-tune your critical faculties and learn to skewer debaters on their own phony logic
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 119
 For Beginners November 18, 2009
dionjuan2004
I dont understand the hype behind this book. Stay home moms and High school students would find it very useful, for sure. College students, sensible and mature adults? Newspaper reading. Working professionals, masters, PhDs? Waste of money.
As few other reviewers also mentioned, this will be a good gift for teens. That pretty much summarizes the review.I finished it in two sittings and did'nt learn anything worthwhile. And forget genius, I'm by no means even a top grader in my masters class.
I very strongly suggest you give it a pass.
 A terrific read November 3, 2009
J. Davis (San Diego, CA United States)
This is a really good book, well worth the $12.95 price. Whyte does an effective and entertaining job of exposing many of the common fallacies used in our discourse: begging the question, the motive fallacy, the ad hominem tu quoque ("you too"), argument from authority, weasel words, etc... Many of his examples are very relevant to our current political discussion; he uses the example of a Mr.Betts, father of a girl who died from a drug overdose, to explain how victim status do not have any special insight on the truth. After reading that part, Cindy Sheehan came to mind immediately. I especially loved his take on how Einstein is used to support all kinds of non-physics questions, as my mom tried to use Einstein's (alleged) belief in God to criticize my nonbelief. My only criticism of the book would be that it's too short.
Why would a religious person but a book about logic? September 13, 2009
steven clauer (Phoenix)
This book is great! It was written well and exposes the many logical fallacies that exist in the public realm. Now, if you are looking for Quine or David Lewis, you're going to be disappointed. These are philosophical arguments on the common usage of informal logic. This is not a math book or a bible, and if you have a problem with logic being applied to the resurrection of Jesus, do not get this book. If you don't like logic, don't buy a book about logic, right? For the rest of you that enjoy a quick and fun read, get it. You won't be disappointed!
 Somewhat Witty, Perceptive and Shallow September 13, 2009
ra_who (Diamond Bar, Ca)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I suppose I am writing a short opinion because it was good enough to warrant a reaction. From the cover you would think it would have been a hilarious decimation of humans holding on to their inconsistencies. In fact, it wasn't. I appreciated the reminders of the logical inconsistencies most of us engage in as things we ought to try and avoid. But his own premises were often far too shallow, not necessarily bad for a short book aimed at entertaining as well as educating, but shallow in a simplistic sense. The book does well in setting up straw man arguments without acknowledgment of premises as likely being more complex. However, many of the premises are truly simple and warrant the taunts promised on the book cover, even if the taunts are not really all that scathing.
Knowledge and truth are tough stuff to understand deeply. Don't expect insight here. But some pointers in everyday rational missteps might be found.
 Can't Recommend September 3, 2009
Michael Ingram (Chattanooga, TN)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I bought this book as a potential learning aid for my work group. While all my staff works in technical areas, I hoped that this book might help structure their thinking. We work with the public, regulators, and others who often have a specialized view. Recognizing bogus arguments isn't the problem; the ability to explain the bogus-nature of these crimes against logic is not a skill many non-philosophers possess. The book met my expectation, with respect to advancing this ability. HOWEVER, Mr. Whyte chose Christianity and its deeply held moral beliefs as the basis for a plurality of examples. Mr. Whyte's book deserves a sub-title - The Case Against Christ, opposite of Lee Strobel's book The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. The rant against faith became tired and sad.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 119
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