Informal logic : a pragmatic approach /

Walton (Winnipeg) here updates his fine book (1st ed., CH, Apr'90, 27-4477) on informal logic/critical thinking. Chapter 1 distinguishes logical pragmatics and logical theory, characterizing "argument" as reasoned dialogue, identifying its various components, introducing some major informal fallacies, and discussing the critical perspective. Chapter 2 deals with questions/answers in dialogue, presuppositions of questions, and the fallacies of complex questions and question-begging. Chapter 3 addresses the fallacy of irrelevance, and chapter 4 treats thoroughly the fallacy of appeal to pity. Chapter 5, "Semantic Theory," discusses validity, consistency, and standard versions of valid argument forms. Chapters 6 and 7 deal, respectively, with the fallacies of personal attack and appeal to authority. Chapter 8 is concerned with inductive errors, biases, and fallacies. Discussed here are statistical inference, sampling procedures, insufficient and biased statistics, and six kinds of post hoc errors. Finally, Walton discusses ambiguity, vagueness, equivocation, and arguments from analogy. The treatment of topics is thorough and meticulous; fine analytic distinctions, a large number of real-life illustrations, and clear writing add value. Walton discusses 36 new topical examples and includes recent work on argumentation schemes. Probably the best work on critical thinking to date, this volume would be an excellent text for courses in informal logic. Summing Up: Essential. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; general readers. R. Puligandla emeritus, University of Toledo