Stephen Law

Well composed, excellent coverage of critical knowledge, this will go on the "to re-read" shelf. I'm also adding to to the Must read homeschool list. Law does a very good job illustrating the traps and describing how to avoid, dismantle and negate them. The composition is dense, and I set it aside several times in order to digest the text (do note that nothing here is new, but it is presented in a rich narrative that can be off-putting for those who don't play in the debate sandbox every show more day). Law does put his perspective on the subject and does a nice job collecting the entire theme in a bonus narrative in the form of C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. I wonder if fans of Lewis will see the irony...

Religion is the target of pretty much each of the trap examples, but Law is careful not to actually say something is BS (for example, he offers that while "psychic" anything is probably BS, someday, someone might actually be able to prove the "ability"). Still, the recipients of the analyses will likely take offense. show less

Do you have a kid who is forever posing difficult queries? This kitschly-designed juvy title by philosophy prof Stephen Law may just cease the questioning for a day or two. Beginning with "Where did everything come from?" and including "What is the meaning of life?" this title offers an inclusive library choice for the agnostic parent. Law doesn't shoot down Jesus, but he does ask kids to research ideas and consider logic. One of the best children's nonfiction titles of 2009.

A very lively introduction to the mistakes we make in our beliefs and thoughts. The author identifies eight intellectual "black holes" that a person can fall into when they have a cherished belief they are trying to defend, and demonstrates how to avoid getting sucked into those black holes. A couple of weak spots were in his definition of science (he seems to be one of those who defines science as what scientists do, requiring all sorts of special skills and equipment) and in his concept of show more evidence, which seemed very strange indeed, since he ruled out as evidence things that were, in fact, very much evidence. Other than that, a very strong defense of critical thinking. This should be read widely by the very people who are the least likely to read it. show less

I quite liked how the author focused on one contribution from each philosopher included in the book, and took the time to explain that one contribution and offer arguments against it instead of merely listing a bunch of philosophical ideas without giving explanation. I also liked the way he compared the various philosophers where comparisons were relevant, bringing up names and references again and again throughout, so that information had more of a chance of being understood, compared, and show more retained. The text offers a decent(and easily understandable) look at philosophy, and is an adequate introduction to the subject, in my opinion show less