Not a bad introduction to critical thinking, but something didn't totally work for me. The concepts are sound, though I do think he leans in a bit too much toward biological determinism, but that isn't a core part of the book. He covers several tenets of critical thinking, but it seems somewhat superficial; this is intended to be accessible to lay readers but he needs to give his readers more credit and delve a little deeper. There are a number of parts that I would like to assign for my students to read, because he explains in accessible language what they struggle to understand. Recommended, but only as a beginning. ( )

Ok, yes, there is a benefit to cynicism but being a cynic is reflexive and lazy. This one has maybe a little too much kneejerk negativity for my liking. I do however wish that more of my friends would be critical about what they read on Facebook and blogs so despite the fact that I didn't really like it I recommend this book. ( )

Well written and understandable, this book defends the act of skeptical thinking and science to counter irrational claims. It is a good idea to know the difference between reality and fiction, but it seems that many people believe in things that are bad for them in multiple ways. Spurious thinking can cost people time, money, and even their lives. Not only that, but science is a marvelous tool for showing how wonderful the world really is.

In this book, the author even shows how spurious thinking can manifest itself. Memory is unreliable and our senses play tricks on us. The human brain is an incredible tool, but it can be misled. So the author lists a number of biases and things that lead to spurious thinking, so you can be on the lookout.

In a later chapter he goes through most conspiracy theories and hoaxes and talks about them in some detail. For instance, there are some things that I had heard of but did not know that people believed in them at all. Take Atlantis for instance. I didn't know there were people that truly believed it existed. Sure it's a good story, but that's about it. So anyway, it doesn't exactly skirt around issues, but it does demand proof of things.

That is the big thing in this book; a big story requires a big proof. Alien landings, ancient astronauts, all that stuff requires proof that doesn't yet exist. Perhaps it might one day, but at the moment, it does not. ( )

I'm not sure what this book is for. It starts out promisingly enough, outlining the need and benefits of a rational mind. It then skims a few areas of irrational thought before descending into a self-help manual for looking after your brain. ( )