Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology (.PDF)

[Fatoumata Rietveld]

Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology PDF

Download Here : Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology by Kirszner, Laurie G., Mandell, Stephen R. (Paperback).pdf

The Practical Argument by Kirszner is a quick collection of aphorisms, some of which are new and some of which are rehashed old ideas. The book contains quite a few pearls of wisdom on the subject of debate and discussion. There are some good discussions here on what makes a good argument, and what mistakes to avoid at all costs when making an argument in a public setting.

The majority of the book is taken up with a series of broad-brush attacks on his opponents. These are numerous and cover such diverse topics as liberalism, Conservatism, realism, philosophy, public reason, science, social science, etc. Some of these arguments are quite fascinating indeed, and I enjoyed reading through them. However, many of these conversations fall flat in my opinion. One has to wonder why such a large variety of people find themselves routinely defending the same mistakes over again, and how many intelligent people actually end up agreeing with them? Furthermore, it may be that many of these people are not really arguing at all, but are merely expressing their own pre-conceived ideas rather than engaging in a robust debate.
For those who are not fans of his political views, or if you simply do not have time to read through the book, there are three shorter books that are included. These are; The Negative Effects of Conservatism, The Positive Effects of Liberal Thinking, and The Essential Dissent. While these are certainly better than nothing, as far as value for money goes they are not nearly as useful or interesting as the bulk of the book. For a short introduction into these ideas, as well as to enjoy an enjoyable read, I would recommend that one read only The Practical Argument by Kirszner.