[LINK] "Straight and crooked thinking," by Robert H. Thouless
post by hairyfigment · 2011-06-04T02:46:07.975Z · LW · GW · Legacy · 2 commentsThis book from 1930 or so (PDF) seems chiefly concerned with describing ways thinking can go wrong. The author does not seem to know much of Bayes, but his book appears largely sound. It ends with practical suggestions for dealing with various "dishonest tricks" -- though the list assumes these tricks come from someone other than the reader -- and an imaginary conversation between advocates of different political views who all exhibit flawed thinking. People who sympathize with one side or another can get practice taking apart a bad argument for that side.
Found via recommendation from Answers in Genes.
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comment by Document · 2011-06-04T06:43:12.943Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
I checked Amazon: it's available now for Kindle, and a new paperback edition is coming September 1.
Replies from: David_Gerard↑ comment by David_Gerard · 2011-06-04T07:58:54.175Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
Yep. The Pan paperback edition pictured in the Answers in Genes post was widely available in the 1970s (at least in Australia and the UK) and I'm surprised it ever went out of print. It's a good one.