Thinking Critically About New Age Ideas

By William D. Gray

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0534143946
• ISBN13: 9780534143947
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Brooks/Cole Pub Co
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Excellent and concise book for all

With little over a hundred pages and primarily written as a text for a course on skepticism, this book is deceiving on both these counts. It is excellently organized, succinctly packed, and is brilliantly written. And most refreshing thing of all - it is neither pedantic nor overbearing. The logic and arguments are presented in layman terms and hence can be an easy introduction to people with no prior skeptical background. People with prior knowledge of the subject would definitely appreciate the insight, strength of arguments, and classification of the wide subject matter presented in a condensed form.After I read the chapter on how word definitions (mis-)lead people into seemingly unresolvable arguments, I remembered some arguments I witnessed over the years which could have been avoided and peacefully resolved if only the participants knew that their 'language' is not precise and accurate. Hence the author shows skepticism works for us in day to day affairs equally as with strange happennings and claims.By presenting very simple logic, the author provides insight and solves such seemingly complex problems as the Russell's paradox, without the reader even knowing the "heaviness" of the subject. He effectively uses the same simple arguments to debunk nasty pseudo-scientific claims that are draining our precious energies and resources. In short this book is a must read for all of us.

How to analyze the paranormal

This book was used in my Psychology of the Paranormal class. It is a useful tool to help people learn to think critically about thier own thoughts and the thoughts of others. Included within it are basic fallacies, common arguments for the paranormal and against it, and other useful psychological information concerning how we make sense of the world. A must read for anyone serious about examining paranormal phenomena of any kind.