Tools of Critical Thinking: Metathoughts for Psychology by David A. LevyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Context & Why I read this book
In 2021 I am on a quest to read everything I can about rationality. "Critical thinking" was a perfect fit.
What is the book about as a whole?
"Tools of Critical Thinking" is about improving one's thinking using metathoughts("thoughts about thought"). The author presents at least 25 of these metathoughts in the form of tools and techniques to aid critical thinking and improve ones study, inquiry, and problem solving.
The book's structure
The book has a carefully thought-out structure. It has 5 main parts; each consists of chapters, which present one meta thought. The parts cluster the metathoughts into a common perspective:
1. Conceputalizing Phenomena
2. Explaning Phenomena
3. Common Misattributions
4. Investigating Phenomena
5. Other Biases and Fallacies in Thinking
Every chapter provides vivid examples, poses practical exercises to complete and ends with a quick summary, notes & references and even relevant glossary terms for the chapter. Additionally, several appendices (for more detailed examples, exercise "solutions", ....), a big glossary of terms uses, an even bigger reference section, a subject index, and a separate name index are provided.
One lesson
There are so many lessons that it's impossible to pinpoint the biggest one; so I just pick a random one related to the **Attribution Bias** (we tend to overemphasize the impact of the environment when analyzing our own behavior and discount it when interpreting other peoples behavior). So as of the author's suggestion, I will try to remember that at any given time, how people behave depends both on what they bring to the situation ("who" they are), as well as the situation itself ("where" they are).
Reading Recommendation / Who should read this?
I didn't have high expectations when I bought this book. I anticipated it to be yet another book that boringly lists some vague "biases"; like many did before. But I was really positively surprised by how well and easily digestible this book is written. It includes extremely helpful examples. So if today you were to ask me for a book recommendation on cognitive biases, mental fallacies and our shortcomings in rationality I would very likely refer you to this book and this book only! A 7 out of 10(⭑⭑⭑⭑) on my personal scale.
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