An essential tool for our posttruth world a witty primer on logicand the dangers of illogical thinkingby a renowned Notre Dame professor Logic is synonymous with reason judgment sense wisdom and sanity. Being logical is the ability to create concise and reasoned argumentsarguments that build from given premises using evidence to a genuine conclusion. But mastering logical thinking also requires studying and understanding illogical thinking both to sharpen ones own skills and to protect against incoherent or deliberately misleading reasoning. Elegant pithy and precise Being Logical breaks logic down to its essentials through clear analysis accessible examples and focused insights. D. Q. McInerney covers the sources of illogical thinking from nave optimism to narrowmindedness before dissecting the various tacticsred herrings diversions and simplistic reasoningthe illogical use in place of effective reasoning. An indispensable guide to using logic to advantage in everyday life this is a concise crisply readable book. Written explicitly for the layperson McInernys Being Logical promises to take its place beside Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style as a classic of lucid invaluable advice. Praise for Being Logical Highly readable . . . D. Q. McInerny offers an introduction to symbolic logic in plain English so you can finally be clear on what is deductive reasoning and what is inductive. And youll see how deductive arguments are constructed.Detroit Free Press McInernys explanatory outline of sound thinking will be eminently beneficial to expository writers debaters and public speakers.Booklist Given the shortage of logical thinking And the fact that mankind is adrift if not sinking It is vital that all of us learn to think straight. And this small book by D.Q. McInerny is great. It follows therefore since we so badly need it Everybody should not only but it but read it. Charles Osgood show more