| Description |
1 online resource (xi, 148 pages) diagrams |
| Series |
New Littlefield college outlines, no. 81 |
| Contents |
1. Thinking comes from experience : Thinking defined ; Substitutes for thinking : Magic ; Fatalism; astrology and palmistry ; Dreams ; Luck ; Escape ; Rationalization ; Suggestion and autosuggestion ; Positive and negative thinking. The elements of thinking-percepts, concepts, generalizations : Percepts : Sensation ; Memory. The inadequacy of percepts : Perceived objects change. The nature of concepts : High-level and low-level concepts. Generalizations -- 2. Induction and the scientific method : Establishing facts : Facts of personal observation ; Facts of vicarious experience ; Facts of science ; Techniques of observation. Classification of percepts, concepts, and classes : Classification. Establishing generalizations : Hypotheses ; Methods of verifying hypotheses ; Mills methods ; Method of agreement ; Method of difference ; Joint method of agreement and difference ; Method of concomitant variations ; The method of residues. The experimental method ; The clinical method ; The survey method -- 3. Probability and statistics : The nature of probability : The mathematical theory : The theory of games. The qualitative theory ; The frequency theory. Statistics : The nature of the units : Percentages ; Sampling ; Distribution ; Measures of central tendency ; Measures of range ; Measures of relationship-correlation ; Computers and "brain machines" -- 4. Deduction : Definition of deduction : The laws of thought : The law of identity ; The law of contradiction ; The law of excluded middle. Propositions : Kinds of propositions : Categorical ; Hypothetical ; Alternative ; Disjunctive ; Conjunctive. Analysis of the categorical proposition : Visual aids ; Immediate inference : Square of opposition ; Conversion ; Obversion. The categorical syllogism ; Seven rules guide the use of the syllogism ; Conditional thinking -- 5. Thinking applied to everyday problems : Problems of creative thinking : Creativeness defined as the eduction of correlates ; Educing the new by rejecting and questioning the old -- Eduction from a chance base ; Eduction and relaxation -- Eduction with visual aids ; Associational possibilities in higher level concepts ; Eduction by a group. The problem of definition : The organization of knowledge ; Types and methods of definition ; Definition in law-an illustration. The problem of choice : Personal experience ; Shared experience. Problems of procedure : Objectivity ; Strategy ; Tactics ; Skill. The problem of explanation : General problem of explanation ; Explanation in philosophy : Methodology ; Metaphysics ; Theory of value. Explanation in science : Physics ; Chemistry ; Biology -- 6. Common errors in thinking : Errors due to emotion and overpowering motivation : Rationalization ; Logic-tight compartments ; Prejudice ; Emotionally-toned words ; Begging the question ; Including evidence not pertinent to the question ; Conclusions influenced by consequences to the individual ; Mob rule ; Attacking the person instead of the argument. Errors in sense perception ; Errors in incomplete observation and memory ; Errors due to suggestion : Suggestion ; Repeated affirmation and prestige ; Overconfidence ; Lack of confidence and fear. Errors due to ambiguity : Confusing whole and part ; Technical jargon ; Confusing categories that merge ; Words used in different senses ; Oral omissions ; Breaking up the logic. Errors due to reasoning by analogy : Guilt by association. Errors due to improper generalization : Extension of the generalization ; Tabloid thinking. Errors in deductive procedure : Diversion to another topic ; The middle-of-the-road error ; Argument in a circle ; Speculative thinking ; The exception proves the rule ; Misleading with a name ; Proof by inconsequent argument ; Some invalid syllogisms |
| Summary |
"This book developed out of thirty years of teaching the psychology of thinking and ten years of teaching logic. The book explains in a simple way the development and sharpening of the tools of thought from the days of the early Greeks to the present day. It identifies the major problems all men face and indicates how they can be resolved. It points out many common fallacies of thinking in every day life. It is offered with the hope that it will complement the information of the reader, increase his insight, and arouse him to learn still more about the tested methods of solving problems"--Book. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved) |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and indexes |
| Notes |
Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212 MiAaHDL |
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digitized 2011 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve pda MiAaHDL |
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Print version record |
| In |
PsycBOOKS (EBSCO). EBSCO |
| Subject |
Reasoning.
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Logic.
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Logic
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Reasoning
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logic.
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Logic
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Reasoning
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| Form |
Electronic book
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