Critical Inquiry: The Process of Argument

This informative book is a necessary companion for anyone seeking to uncover the secret of successful persuasion: to organize, construct, and communicate arguments. It is at once comprehensive and accessible, an authoritative guide to logical thinking and effective communication. First, the text defines the nature and uses of argument, explaining how to read argument carefully. Such analysis then requires the student to reconstruct arguments in his or her own words. Finally, the reader is taught how to create a critical, reasoned response, thus constructing his or her own argument. To increase its accessibility and expand its range of application, Critical Inquiry uses (in addition to textual examples) advertisements from print media as “texts” for applying its principles to subjects outside the traditional mode of academic presentation. Throughout, carefully selected reading questions and exercises pace the reader and ensure that the material is securely grasped and successfully applied.

A succinct handbook on reading and responding critically to argumentative texts, suitable alike for courses in informal logic and the argumentative/persuasive essay.  

Library Journal

This excellent and practical introduction to critical thinking is a new version of Boylan's (philosophy, Marymount Univ.) The Process of Argument, which was first released in 1993. Meant to serve as more than just an overview of logic and critical thinking, the book is also an expansion of the original in that it emphasizes "how to read and respond critically to argumentative text." Boylan doesn't limit his analysis to academic writings but instead includes examples of critical inquiry to evaluate the arguments and claims in advertising, the media, and phishing emails. The book is organized according to his three R's of critical inquiry: "Reading the Text," "Reconstructing the Argument," and "Responding to its Claims." These sections are carefully constructed and include examples and exercises that are meant to guide the reader to understanding each area of critical inquiry. VERDICT Although the intended audience is students who need to write and understand argumentative essays, anyone interested in understanding and responding to claims they encounter through the media will find it highly rewarding.—Scott Duimstra, Capital Area Dist. Lib., Lansing, MI

Michael Boylan received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is professor of philosophy at Marymount University. He is the author of The Extinction of Desire (2007) and A Just Society (2004) in addition to nineteen other books and more than ninety articles in philosophy and literature.