A Rulebook for Arguments

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Author: Anthony Weston
Publisher: Hackett Pub Co Inc
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$6.95~~
Buy Used: $4.00
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Media: Paperback
Edition: 3
Pages: 90
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.3

ISBN: 0872205525
Dewey Decimal Number: 168
EAN: 9780872205529
ASIN: 0872205525

Publication Date: January 1, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Updated examples, streamlined text, and the chapter on definition reworked in a rule-based format strengthen this already strong volume. Readers familiar with the previous edition will find a text that retains all the features that make Rulebook ideally suited for use as a supplementary course book-including its modest price and compact size. PUnlike most textbooks on argumentative writing, Rulebook is organized around specific rules, illustrated and explained soundly and briefly. It is not a textbook, but a rulebook, whose goal is to help students get on with writing a paper or assessing an argument.

Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

And Outstanding Overview of Logic, Reason, and the Compilation of Formidable Conclusions January 2, 2009
A Rulebook for Arguments should be required reading as it presents a definitive outline of the basis for reason.br /br /As a centerpiece of what separates humans from animals, the ability to reason represents a critical element in all human endeavors. Illogical reasoning is regrettably everywhere we look; advertisements, politics, religion, business, and even ordinary personal justifications. As a result, improving the ability to reason properly is of vital importance to the individual intellect.br /br /Weston presents a concise overview of the critical aspects of logical reasoning. The subjects covered are designed to strengthen argumentative writing, help avoid common fallacies, and promote the organization of sound conclusions that hold up under any level of scrutiny. br /br /The knowledge base of logic and formation of arguments presented in this book represents a path to improved reasoning abilities and therefore should be essential reading. As an added benefit, the book is brief and the writing is coherent from start to finish, making it an effortless read and one I highly recommend to all.br /

4 out of 5 stars

Solid and Concise November 18, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

A Rulebook for Arguments is certainly competent in its approach to intellectual debate. It is ideal for novices as the author's explanations are quite clear. My only reservations about it were due to my belief that Mr. Weston's examples were skewed in a leftist direction. By this I mean that his political orientation was evident based on the examples cited. One of which was an illustration of loaded language that referred to conservatives as people who describe themselves as those with a realistic view of human limits. Well, that's not the whole story of course, but it does accurately convey the contrast between the political right and leftists whose view of what is viable has no correlation with human nature. Another irksome proof was on display in regards to begging the question whereby one claims to know God exists because the Bible says it does. That is accurate but a convenient choice in my view. None of this is surprising as politicizing is ubiquitous among professors today who excuse their attempts at improper persuasion with the excuse of being "engaged." This manages to only detract slightly from the work as it remains technically solid. However, if one is looking for a book on fallacies you might look elsewhere. A Rulebook for Arguments has but an 8 page chapter concerning them.

4 out of 5 stars

Useful scientific writing tool November 16, 2008
As the title says, and as Weston writes in his introduction, this is "...not a text book, but a rule book." This short book is a useful desk reference for technical and scientific writers looking for practical approaches to structure written arguments clearly and logically.

5 out of 5 stars

Argument: Well I say it's good! September 24, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

The book was in excellent condition upon arrival and it was a excellent price and arrived quickly.

5 out of 5 stars

Makes a terrible doorstop, so you may as well read it... July 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Everyone needs critical thinking. But who wants to learn it? Most books drone on and on about this or that rule with esoteric Latin terms seeping from every page. In such cases, critical thinking would suggest astute readers close the book and convert it to a doorstop. Thankfully, there's "A Rulebook for Arguments." This minuscule, concise, but nonetheless conceptually beefy book will cause little consternation for prospective thinkers. Clear throughout, the text contains just the right amount of explanation and examples to keep eyelids open and attention spans in check. Plus, at 87 pages it wouldn't make a good doorstop anyway. br /br /The book's ten quick chapters build on each other. One through six provide tips and best practices for constructing solid arguments. Each one deals with a specific topic such as arguments by example, arguments by analogy, arguments from authority, arguments about causes, and deductive arguments (when things get more formal). The focus to this point remains on short arguments. Chapter seven changes gears, and builds on the previous chapters, by exploring the argumentative essay. All elements of the book come together in three brief sections dealing with "exploring the issue," "main points of the essay," and "writing." For the grand finale, a litany of classical fallacies appears. Though some Latin words saturate these pages ("ad hominem," "ad misericordiam," "non sequitur," etc.), the concepts remain extraordinarily accessible. Pay attention to "The Two Great Fallacies," namely, "generalizing from incomplete information" and "overlooking alternatives." A short appendix deals with definitions and an even shorter "Next Steps" section recommends additional reading.br /br /Anyone who wants to argue effectively should commit this book to second nature memory. Irretrievably trap it in the neural network. This flimsy volume contains the crucial basics of critical thinking and sound argument. Every University (and High School) should demand their enrollees read it and read it again. It's the book you wished you had in college while half-soberly agonizing over writing assignments. But despite occasional explicit references to studenthood, adults should not shoo this book from their shelves. This stuff needs a lifetime of reinforcement. Put it next to Strunk and White (as the author suggests a little presumptuously) and peruse it periodically. Soon you'll hear fallacies dripping from every mouth, newscast and political speech. So read it - it doesn't take long - and say hello to critical thinking.

Copyright 2007 White Hat Communications.
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