Is That True?: Critical Thinking for Sociologists

by Joel Best

Across disciplines, critical thinking is praised, taught, and put into practice. But what does it actually mean to think critically? In this brief volume, sociologist Joel Best examines how to evaluate arguments and the evidence used to support them as he hones in on how to think in the field of sociology and beyond.
 
With inimitable style that melds ethnographic verve with dry humor, Best examines the ways in which sociologists engage in fuzzy thinking through bias, faddish cultural waves, spurious reasoning, and implicit bias. The short chapters Students across disciplines will learn the building blocks of critical thinking in a sociological context and come away with key concepts to put into practice.

Genres: Sociology

179 pages, Paperback

Published February 16, 2021

Reviews

[Kieran Lele · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting critique on the field of sociology itself. It examined the academics themselves and the ways in which their own biases influence the field and their research. I agree with many of the takes, but some seemed a bit weak. He also made a large point of what kind of evidence created good arguments, but then used anecdotes as evidence of flaws in the field. Overall, it still made me think but I wouldn't read unless you're super interested in sociology.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are spots in the book that I would rewrite if I could, as I think they are dated, simplistic, or potentially offensive. However, it’s a useful text for an undergraduate course.

[YITING · Rating 3 out of 5]

印象比較深刻的是第6、7章。第6章指出社會學界的人容易欽慕物理學，並愛好使用複雜數學、統計學等工具，但是每種工具始終有其限制。書裡舉到一個的例子，有理論物理學家寫了引用一堆數學的文章，並投稿到知名社會學期刊，最後竟然還被刊出。他事後再跳出來說那文章全是唬爛，這打臉了很多後現代主義大師XD。這例子我記得塔雷伯《隨機騙局》裡有提到。另外一個是哲學欽慕，這一類社會學家喜歡漂亮的理論，喜歡使用很玄、艱澀的術語。最後一個是抗議欽慕，這發生在積極參與街頭行動的社會學家，政治立場容易影響他們的研究。

而第7章講到3個社會學家常採取的取向分類， 也就是樂觀vs. 悲觀、文化隊vs. 結構隊、局內人vs. 局外人。作者身為社會學家，也提到在社會科學的領域裡，社會學圈子的人在意識型態上尤其偏向自由/進步/激進左派。最糟糕的應該是作者在末章提到的現象: 連談論不同立場的研究、成果都成了禁忌，因為那樣會被人認為是在「責備受害者」。這是在審查意識形態，違反了批判思考的「針對證據批判」精神。

我覺得這本書的翻譯其實有點不順暢，但大致上還算能從脈絡推敲意思吧。整體上是蠻實用的小書，思考方法也適用於其他社會科學領域。但礙於篇幅，有些內容也無法更深入了。