Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Guide for the New Millennium, Second Edition

by Robert Todd Carroll

Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Guide for the New Millennium, 2/E is intended as an introductory text in logic or critical thinking. As we enter a new millennium, a kind of madness in the media and the marketplace caters to our uncritical desire for more exciting and mysterious entertainment. The need for critical thinking skills has never been greater, as the power of the mass media to influence us has never been greater. Our television and films get wilder in their speculation and claims. Becoming a critical thinker in the new millennium will require the development of some fundamental skills, as it has in every age. However, the skills needed for our particular time must focus on the kinds of issues and obstacles peculiar to our age. Thus, much of the book aims at honing skills useful for separating the probable from the improbable in the daily barrage of claims hurled at us from our newspapers, magazines, televisions, our movie screens, our radios and CD players, and of course, from our computers. The entry of the Internet into our lives means there is one more source we must be skilled at critically evaluating.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Logic

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Robert Todd Carroll, PhD in philosophy

Reviews

[Rory Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing upon a life time of teaching, engagement and promotion of Scepticism, the author has poured an enormous amount of detail into this book.

The book has high expectations of its readers. Chapter 2s consideration of language immediately embarks into philosophical differences between cognitivism and emotivism, before then taking readers through problems of euphemisms, Hedging, Weasel Words and many other related issues.
When arguments are explored and evaluated in chapter 5, terms like ‘modus ponens’ and ‘disjunctive syllogisms’ are introduced, so that readers can engage with the technical terminology alongside the concepts.

The scope of the material is particularly impressive. Chapter 3s discussion of problems related to sources introduces the usual issues about witness reliability. But it then explores issues around media reliability and fake news. It even takes the reader through issues of allegations of liberal bias. These are all important topics, but they do not always find a place in books on Critical Thinking.

To help readers get to grips with the material, the author provides copious exercises and follow-up tasks at the end of each chapter.

I think this is an excellent book on Critical Thinking, but the amount of detail and complexity means that it might not be the best ‘first’ book for people beginning to familiarise themselves with the idea of Critical Thinking. Perhaps something like Scott Lovell's 50 page book 'Critical Thinking' would be a better introductory text. This book would then make a good follow-up book, deepening and developing ideas about Critical Thinking.

Readers may be interested to know that the author placed a free copy of this book on his website at the Skeptics Dictionary (skepdic.com), where it can be downloaded chapter by chapter. He sadly died in 2016 but the Skeptic Dictionary is continuing and includes many additional articles and materials extending ideas and discussions in the book.

[Khalid S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becoming an accomplished critical thinker can be considered a five-step process:
Step 1: Adopt the Attitude of a Critical Thinker
Step 2: Recognize and Avoid Critical Thinking Hindrances
Step 3: Identify and Characterize Arguments
Step 4: Evaluate Information Sources
Step 5: Evaluate Arguments

[John Gronau]

very good

[Elizabeth]

As heard on Point of Inquiry.