Book cover of Arguing and Thinking: A Rhetorical Approach to Social Psychology

Book description

Michael Billig's rhetorical approach has been key to the discursive turn in the social sciences. His witty and original book examines argumentation and its psychological importance in human conduct, and traces the connections between ancient rhetorical ideas and modern social psychology. In a new introduction, he offers further reflections on…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Arguing and Thinking as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book provides a very important background to how critical thinking needs to be seen in terms of how it fits with the ancient skills of rhetoric.

The author demonstrates how the skills of argumentation (central to critical thinking) were central to how classical scholars (including Aristotle, Protagoras, Quintilian, and Cicero) saw the huge value in being skilled in rhetoric. For example, the maxim of Protagoras that there are two sides to every question is given (with a worry for us -is there?).

The celebrated discussion between God and Moses in the Midrash is a wonderful example of how one’s…

From Roy's list on learning how to think critically.

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Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

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