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Summary: Must Read For The Layman Interested In Science
Review: If you are a layman like myself with an interest in reading about science, this is a basic book in the philosophy of science that will aid in the rational analysis of scientific claims. Naturally the book wouldn't sell too many copies if the word "Philosophy" ended up in the title so we have this cutesy title that unfortunately may not give sufficient clues as to what is inside. My wife is a believer in all things paranormal, and I am a true skeptic with an education in experimental psychology. We have a shaky truce in our house about these issues, and I have developed an intense interest in the claims made in astrology, channeling, ESP, NDE and the like. This book lays out the logic for analyzing claims made in the name of science or the paranormal. We are told first of all that knowledge without evidence is not knowledge; it may constitute a belief, but it is not knowledge. What is reliable evidence? What is objective truth? What is the value of anecdotal evidence? What are the criteria of adequacy for a hypothesis? How is a scientific study properly set up? What sort of studies can establish the effectiveness of a medical treatment beyond a reasonable doubt? The author discusses all of this and more as he applies the logic learned to medicine, dowsing, astrology, ESP, Channeling, and even UFO abductions. Its an informative, entertaining book that will educate without boring you or even making your poor brain work overtime. If nothing else you can read the book, and impress (or bore) your friends by telling them you just read a book on applied epistemology.
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Summary: An excellent thoughtful examination of logical fallacies
Review: in scientific thought. I read the first edition of this book some years ago and immediately adapted it into a course for incoming freshman science majors. The book describes in intimate, easily-readable detail the pitfalls of trusting rather than testing. Each chapter takes you through some of the more and less obvious pitfalls of pseudoscientific thought. The authors excellent use of examples helps the reader understand why people believe in all manner of weird things and how develop your own baloney detector. I read this book at least once or twice per year just to 'stay in shape'. If you were ever convinced you saw a UFO, experienced deja vu or witnessed a miracle, this book is going to make you very uncomfortable!
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Summary: This should be a text book
Review: Maybe it is one somewhere. This book teaches vital critical thinking skills, how to avoid common fallacies, and how science works (and why). This is THE book if you are interested in skepticism and a challenge to the credulousness of this "New Age". Why People Believe Weirds Things by Michael Shermer does not even compare to this work. Shermer is not nearly as logical and clear in his writing. However, as a history major, I would recommend WPBWT for its discussion of holocaust denial. Anyway, great book -- it's too bad that this gem is dwarfed by mystical, magical nonsense in the bookstore.
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Summary: Philosophy, psychology and critical thinking.
Review: Now in an expanded second edition, How To Think About Weird Things: Critical Thinking For A New Age is designed to help the reader think critically about the many New Age claims and beliefs that abound in our contemporary culture. In an examination of over 60 paranormal, supernatural, and mysterious phenomena, authors Theodore Schick and Lewis Vaughn focus on types of logical arguments and types of proofs thereby providing a sound basis for soundly logical, critical reasoning. How To Think About Weird Things is enhanced further with a detailed, step-by-step procedure (the SEARCH formula) for evaluating extraordinary claims; explanations of vital principles of knowledge, reasoning and evidence; numerous boxes throughout the text offering details on various offbeat beliefs; and an appendix containing additional information on informal fallacies. How To Think About Weird Things is a highly recommended addition to personal, school, and community library philosophy and critical reasonings reference collections.
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Summary: Very good, but ignores fact/value distinction
Review: On the whole, this book is worthwhile. However, the authors fail to explain the distinction between fact and value, the ignorance of which leads to utopianism, naive moral absolutism, and other confusions. (The only time they address values, they present these as "facts" about the people who prefer them. The discussion goes no further.) Even worse, the authors themselves conflate these two concepts several times (e.g., stating that "women should have the right to vote" is "true"), which is quite embarrassing in a book of this kind.
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Summary: Razor-sharp analysis, insightful commentary: buy it!
Review: Rarely have I read a book as thoughtful, well-presented and thorough as this one. In their analysis of the strange claims and bogus arguments of the claimants, whether religious, paranormal or philosophical, Schick and Vaughn are meticulous. If there's one book which I would recommend anyone to read, and from which I suspect many people (including myself) have a lot to learn, this is the book. Looking at the other reviews to date, it's illuminating that they are either "superb" by those who enjoy thinking about the world, or "awful" by those who feel threatened by this book's razor-sharp analysis. Buy it and read it.
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Summary: Watch your heart, truth can hurt.
Review: Rational thought is the only proven road to deal with "reality". This could be another summary for this book, which makes a fantastic presentation of the ground rules on epistemology and the search for truth. At the same time makes it very clear that the scientific method lacks any poetry since feelings, emotions and expectations are a burden in the analysis of facts. So I you are a person with a deep interest in all the issues involved in the new age school, this book will open you eyes about them, and it might take you a while to recover. In a son by Juan Manuel Serrat a line indicates that " Nunca es triste la verdad, tan solo irremediable" (The truth is never sad simply without remedy).
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Summary: Cocksure author presents personal crusade/masquerade
Review: Since it is politically incorrect to condemn on the basis of race and color many frustrated scientists do it on the basis of credo. In this kind of bigotry fearful researchers in one field belittle the work of researchers in areas like parapsychology and ufology by attempting to forbid the application of the scientific method by sheer force of ridicule. The author of this book needs to learn that the scientific method applies to all disciplines before he attempts to teach it to others. There are at least two sides to issues, this unbalanced book gives one of them. In his religious zealotry to discredit others and promote his personal preconceptions, he only embarrasses himself in public. Higher standards in fairness and scholarship are needed for a book of this kind than are present.
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Summary: Aptly named, unfortunately.
Review: Take "Weird Things" out of the title and that's what this book is all about. How to think. "What you think is wrong. This is right." That's how the book was like for some 300 pages.
I actually had to read this for a class. If you have to read this for a class, I suggest you drop it as soon as possible. The class I took that required this book was intensely boring. I'm not sure because of the book or the elderly prof. Probably both.
While the books does give you the impression of knowing a fraud when you see one, it does not encourage free thinking. Not so much as "how to think" but "what to think".
For a scholarly book the Index totaly lacks contents. It has about 1/10th of the terms that were used in the book. I'd get a homework assignement and wouldn't be able to find the word in the index at all. I'd have to scan the entire chapter. Very frustrating.
To sum it all up- do NOT buy this book.
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Summary: Aptly named, unfortunately.
Review: The art of critical thinking has almost disappeared from the western world. Largely I think this is so because our society is constructed on the fact that most people are trained to not think for themselves. The last thing anyone wants is for the population to start asking questions about religion, economics, and our political system. If one starts asking questions one could find that the answers we have been fed may not have been entirely true. Rather than address specific paranormal or strange ideas the authors present a formula for the reader to assess the ideas for themselves. There are, of course, entire books devoted to assessing the value of pseudoscience, paranormal phenomena and similar things in which the basic principles of skeptical thought has been tossed out the window. What the author's have done that is most unusual is the way the concepts in this book are brought together. This is not to say this is a perfect book. I noted several times where the author's ignored their own rational system to arrive at conclusions. The conclusions arrived at are universally in the realm of hard science triumphing over anything remotely paranormal. The author's bias in favor of rationalism and against anything resembling spirituality is very evident. Read this book, but do so with a critical mind.
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