The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies: A Field Guide for Clear Thinkers Review & Giveaway
I am spending a lot of time with logic curriculum this summer as I prepare to teach logic for the first time this fall. I’m looking for a logic curriculum that this logic impaired Momma can understand… and teach!
This month Timberdoodle Co sent The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies: A Field Guide for Clear Thinkers for review. This book teaches readers to identify and ‘exterminate’ fifty informal fallacies by introducing each fallacy through an adorable yet dangerous beast. The book is organized into 4 sections on the 4 types of fallacies. Each section contains several chapters on subtypes of each fallacy. The four fallacies included are fallacies of distraction, ambiguity, form and millennial fallacies. For example, chapters in the distraction fallacy section include red herrings, irrelevant thesis, ad hominem, genetic fallacy, ad populum and more.
The book is written for high school through adults, and can be used either as an introductory logic curriculum, or as a supplement to another logic curriculum. It teaches logic with a Christian perspective, often using Biblical examples and verses in discussion questions.
Each chapter presents a fallacy, an example of an argument using that fallacy, and the description of the ‘beast’ who comes with that particular fallacy. For example, a genetic fallacy of distraction rejects or accepts an argument solely based on the moral character of the person presenting the argument. The beast included in that chapter is the Origin Sniffer, whose long nose is used to sniff out the ancestry of the arguer. Not only do the creatures add fun and interest to the subject, but they help the reader remember and understand each fallacy.
Logic is a subject I’ve always struggled with, it really all starts running together with the ad this and ad that. These cute yet dangerous beasts really do aid in my understanding and retaining the difference between all these fallacies!
Each chapter ends with discussion questions. Three big picture questions help the reader get to the bottom of the logic behind each fallacy, and even the why. Students are encouraged to give their own example of each fallacy. Next, several short examples of arguments are presented so the student can identify whether the argument is valid, or if the fallacy is being used.
At the end of the book, suggested schedules are included for either semester or full year use of the book. Also, a link is included which contains quizzes and tests for the book.
I am really impressed with this logic book. In fact, each time I pick it up, I end up reading several chapters at once. It is very interesting and engaging, and hard to put down!
My student will begin logic in 7th grade this fall, but I will not be using this curriculum with her this year. The book is written for high school age students, and I find that an appropriate age recommendation. Each fallacy is presented with a relevant story, and the discussion questions often include moral and political issues of our time. Topics such as addiction, abortion, adultery, and welfare are brought up in the discussion questions.
I plan to finish reading this book myself, before our school year starts. I think it will make me a better logic teacher for my 7th grader this year. Then, I look forward to reading it again with my children in high school as a supplement to more advanced logic courses. While this book could easily be used as independent learning for a high school student, I think most benefit will come from answering the discussion questions together. In fact, since I have several students close in age, I look forward to completing this book together when I have several high schoolers at once.
If you have a high school student studying logic, or if you want to learn more about logic yourself, check out The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies.
I get to giveaway 3 copies of this book! Enter below to win one.
I am also looking ahead and preparing for high school homeschool so I would be reading it first before my students. I took a logic class in college, but this looks a lot more interesting than my textbook!
I nearly failed logic in college… this is so much easier to undertand!
I had not thought to teach Logic, per se, but the description of this book sounds like it can open up some great conversations with my male highschooler. We love having logic conversations! Lol.
This looks like such a good book!
I am looking ahead as well. I am a black and white thinker, and so is my oldest child, so we can both benefit from studying logic and learning to look at problems from more than one angle.
I just finished a course in college that went through these fallacies and I loved it. I would love to study them more in-depth and plan on teaching them to my kids when they get older. This book looks really great!
I have been planning high school 9the grade all morning. Timely that i saw this. I have not heard of this logic book.
This sounds fantastic and would really appeal to my children and I … Logic is definitely not an easy subject to teach for me.
This looks like an interesting way to teach logic. Great giveaway.
Looks like a wonderful book! I’ve been eyeballing it for a while. Great post!
I will have two high schoolers this year, so They can use it first, then be passed down to their siblings. Thanks for the review and giveaway!!
Sounds great!
This looks exactly what we need for next year.
I would be using this with my son, Ben, who is very interested in fallacies and logic. When he saw the contest for this book, he urged me to enter.
interesting, my daughter must have been reading this over my shoulder because she asked me, ‘can we get that book?’ 🙂 my 3rd child will be starting high school this fall…and he has 3 younger siblings. I’m thankful they all like to read.
I’ve been wanting this book since it came out! If I won a copy I would first read it for myself, then use it in the upcoming school year for my 11yo son. And eventually with my three other children too. 🙂
I saw this at a homeschooling retreat I recently attended. I’ve been looking for it and haven’t been able to find it yet.
I like how this book is written.
Thanks so much for sharing! I will be teaching logic this fall and would love to have this book as a resource 🙂
I would be using this with my 8th – 12 th grade kiddos (I’ll have a 8th, 9th, 11th, and 12th). I need a mom friendly logic course!
For now, I’d just like to read this for my own learning, but eventually I will use this with my dd.
The ability to recognize fallacies in argument and thinking (both our own and others’) is such an important skill. It looks like this book takes an interesting approach to helping students detect fallacies in everyday situations.
Let’s just say that teaching logic is not my strong point, so this book would be very helpful! I have a high school son that would love to either read through this book on his own, or with me.
Love the idea of creatures to help you remember!
I would use this book in my own study of logic and then will have it on hand for my boys when they study it in high school!
Looks like a great book. Thanks for the review!
I am sure my daughter would love it and I would enjoy reading this book too:)
You seem to he just like me! It’s so good to study before we really teach something. What a great book!
What an incredible book! I wants it!!!