10 best books on critical thinking.
What is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. Critical thinking might be described as the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.
In essence, critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason. It is about being an active learner rather than a passive recipient of information.
Critical thinkers rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value. They will always seek to determine whether the ideas, arguments and findings represent the entire picture and are open to finding that they do not.
Critical thinkers will identify, analyse and solve problems systematically rather than by intuition or instinct.
Someone with critical thinking skills can:
- Understand the links between ideas.
- Determine the importance and relevance of arguments and ideas.
- Recognise, build and appraise arguments.
- Identify inconsistencies and errors in reasoning.
- Approach problems in a consistent and systematic way.
- Reflect on the justification of their own assumptions, beliefs and values.
10 Best Books on Critical Thinking –
1. The Art of Thinking Clearly –By Rolf Dobelli
The Art of Thinking Clearly by world-class thinker and entrepreneur Rolf Dobelli is an eye-opening look at human psychology and reasoning — essential reading for anyone who wants to avoid “cognitive errors” and make better choices in all aspects of their lives.
Simple, clear, and always surprising, this indispensable book will change the way you think and transform your decision-making—work, at home, every day. It reveals, in 99 short chapters, the most common errors of judgment, and how to avoid them.
2. Critical Thinking –By Jennifer Wilson
Critical Thinking is a great introduction to the fundamental principles of critical thinking. It is a book that offers insightful tips, as well as steps that are easy to follow for effective problem solving. Amazingly, the tips provided are not geared towards solving only one type of problem. Instead, you can follow them to find solutions to a wide range of challenges. At the same time, the simple guidelines that the book outlines are not restricted for use by people of only one profession. On the contrary, they are applicable to all professions, and even other spheres of life.
In fact, the lessons taught in this book are useful to everyone who looks forward to seeking and finding solutions to simple as well as tough challenges. Once you have mastered the art of critical thinking and start to apply the skills, you will, very likely, marvel at how much of your precious resources you are capable of saving. You will also realize that you can streamline systems in a way that cuts down on waste and inefficiencies.
3. Wait, What? –By James E. Ryan
In Wait, What? Jim Ryan celebrates the art of asking—and answering—good questions. Five questions in particular: Wait, what?; I wonder…? Couldn’t we at least…?; How can I help?; and What truly matters? Using examples from politics, history, popular culture, and social movements, as well as his own personal life, Ryan demonstrates how these essential inquiries generate understanding, spark curiosity, initiate progress, fortify relationships, and draw our attention to the important things in life—from the Supreme Court to Fenway Park. By regularly asking these five essential questions, Ryan promises, we will be better able to answer life’s most important question: “And did you get what you wanted out of life, even so?” At once hilarious and illuminating, poignant and surprising, Wait, What? is an inspiring book of wisdom that will forever change the way you think about questions.
4. Think Smarter –By Michael Kallet
Think Smarter is the comprehensive guide to training your brain to do more for you. The book presents a pragmatic framework and set of tools to apply critical thinking techniques to everyday business issues. Think Smarter is filled with real-world examples that demonstrate how the tools work in action, in addition to dozens of practise exercises applicable across industries and functions, Think Smarter is a versatile resource for individuals, managers, students, and corporate training programs.
Thinking is the foundation of everything you do, but we rely largely on automatic thinking to process information, often resulting in misunderstandings and errors. Shifting over to critical thinking means thinking purposefully using a framework and toolset, enabling thought processes that lead to better decisions, faster problem solving, and creative innovation. Think Smarter provides clear, actionable steps toward improving your critical thinking skills, plus exercises that clarify complex concepts by putting theory into practice.
5. The Organized Mind –By Daniel J. Levitin
Modern society is in a state of information overload. Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin investigates how and why our brains are struggling to keep up with the demands of the digital age.
Why is email so addictive? Is multitasking really possible? And what do successful people keep in their junk drawer? The Organized Mind debunks myth and presents one simple idea – storing information in the physical world instead of the mind – to revolutionize twenty-first century living.
In a world where information is power, The Organized Mind holds the key to harnessing that information and making it work for you.
6. Brain Power –By Karl Albrecht
Brain Power introduces the six functional thinking abilities you need to become an adaptive, innovative thinker. As you develop your ability to think on your feet, to isolate and arrange facts, and to avoid logical pitfalls you will see how to use creative problem solving strategies, both in business and in private life. With practical exercises to improve your full range of mental capabilities from concentration to intuition, management consultant Karl Albrecht answers all your questions on becoming a more efficient and effective thinking.
Offering a gold mine of ideas and techniques to use in almost any situation, Brain Power provides fascinating illustrations, games, and puzzles that will stimulate and expand your brainpower.
7. Being Logical –By D.Q. McInerny
Logic is synonymous with reason, judgment, sense, wisdom, and sanity. Beinglogical is the ability to create concise and reasoned arguments—arguments 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 one’s 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 naïve optimism to narrow-mindedness, before dissecting the various tactics—red herrings, diversions, and simplistic reasoning—the 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.
8. Critical Thinking Skills –By Stella Cottrell
‘More analysis needed’ is a comment lecturers repeatedly have to write on their students’ work. Proceeding beyond this level of feedback is difficult when many students don’t understand what analysis is or how to integrate criticism into their work. With this in mind, Critical Thinking Skills has taken the seemingly baffling art of analysis and broken it down into easy to understand blocks, with clear explanations, good examples, and plenty of activities to develop understanding at each stage. It even applies the techniques to reading, note making and writing. Recommending Critical Thinking Skills will help your students develop this important set of skills and improve their grades.
9. Weaponized Lies –By Daniel J. Levitin
We’re surrounded by fringe theories, fake news, and pseudo-facts. These lies are getting repeated. Daniel Levitin shows how to disarm these socially devastating inventions and get the American mind back on track.
This urgently needed book enables us to avoid the extremes of passive gullibility and cynical rejection. As Levitin attests: Truth matters. A post-truth era is an era of willful irrationality, reversing all the great advances humankind has made. Euphemisms like “fringe theories,” “extreme views,” “alt truth,” and even “fake news” can literally be dangerous. Let’s call lies what they are and catch those making them in the act.
10. The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking –By Edward B. Burger, Michael Starbird
The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking presents practical, lively, and inspiring ways for you to become more successful through better thinking. The idea is simple: You can learn how to think far better by adopting specific strategies. Brilliant people aren’t a special breed―they just use their minds differently. By using the straightforward and thought-provoking techniques in The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking, you will regularly find imaginative solutions to difficult challenges, and you will discover new ways of looking at your world and yourself―revealing previously hidden opportunities.
Filled with engaging examples that unlock truths about thinking in every walk of life, The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking is written for all who want to reach their fullest potential―including students, parents, teachers, businesspeople, professionals, athletes, artists, leaders, and lifelong learners.
Whenever you are stuck, need a new idea, or want to learn and grow, The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking will inspire and guide you on your way.
Thanks for reading, this was my recommendations on 10 best books on critical thinking.
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