The Art of Thinking: A Guide to Critical and Creative Thought

Ruggiero has written the best book to date on critical thinking, in a time when it is most needed. There is clarity in his writing that is rare and required to hold the attention of those without critical skills. Some of the critics claim that this book is "insulting to their intelligence". They should remember that you cannot insult intelligence, only pride. The book is clear and very direct in its presentation. Other critics have attacked Ruggiero's appeal to control your emotions in making proper judgments. Its was Aristotle who said, "The young overdo everything. They love too much, hate too much, & the same with everything else." This is not saying that passion should be taken from all aspects of life. Alternatively, to use a contemporary example that the young can relate to, Stephen Colbert taught the young about the word "truthiness". Truthiness is the marriage of emotion and logic. Every year it is reported how American students are falling further behind students of other countries. This world has real problems and these problems are very complex. The current generation lacks these skills; the next generation needs these skills in order to fix the mess that we have made. The pop culture that has surround the minds of our youth, originally conceived to develop the economy, has turned our people into unthinking followers. The United States is the most powerful nation in the world, but power without critical thinking leaders is the most dangerous situation that we could throw ourselves into. Intelligence without power is worthless, save its influence. The United States has the power, resources, and the schools to produce something that has never happen in the history of this world; a chance to bring about the conditions for world peace. Every political disaster that the United States has endured can be traced to the lack of use of these skills. The Art of Thinking should be required reading every year, over and over. Printed and scattered in every hotel room. And memorized before allowed to run for public office. In the time we refer to as the Dark Ages, rhetoric was required to even be considered for a degree. Let us complement our technology with intelligence, let us balance our power with justice.

This title was the first text book I used in my first ever philosophy class at college some 20 years ago. It really inspired me to start "thinking" about how people think. The flow of the topics and the content successfully aroused my mind and the book actually helped me a lot on ways of thinking even until now. I just want to let everyone know that this title is an excellent read for teenagers to adults alike.

I first read this marvelous book while doing the research for my book "Why Didn't I Think of That? - Think the Unthinkable and Achieve Creative Greatness." Anyone serious about improving their thinking capacities simply must read Ruggiero's book. Used as the primary text in many college level critical and creative thinking courses, "The Art of Thinking" covers both basic and advanced concepts using well designed examples and artfully crafted exercises helping readers to learn both easily and completely. At signing events, and after speaking engagements, when readers of my book ask me to recommend other related works, I always place Ruggiero's book at the top of the list.

I first read this marvelous book while doing the research for my book "Why Didn't I Think of That? - Think the Unthinkable and Achieve Creative Greatness." Anyone serious about improving their thinking capacities simply must read Ruggiero's book. Used as the primary text in many college level critical and creative thinking courses, "The Art of Thinking" covers both basic and advanced concepts using well designed examples and artfully crafted exercises helping readers to learn both easily and completely. At signing events, and after speaking engagements, when readers of my book ask me to recommend other related works, I always place Ruggiero's book at the top of the list.

Ruggiero's text is about thinking and writing. For me as a composition instructor in community college, its three major strengths are its promotion of critical reading, its promotion of reflection, and its emphasis on learning by doing. It makes me think of a saying I copied down so long ago I've forgotten its origin: "Better writers make better thinkers." Actually, I think this text is more about "better thinkers make better writers." The book is conversational, respectful, helpful, and kind. I like the scenarios presented as examples of thinking principles at the beginning of each chapter. In addition to providing concrete examples of the principles presented in the chapter, they illustrate the principle "Show, don't tell," providing a useful model of effective writing for the students. The sample problems and issues elsewhere in the text are realistic, believable and engaging. They encourage students to think for themselves. The book attempts to move readers from passive thinking to reflective critical thinking. Its neutral, distant but kindly voice works well to invite students into a world of academic discourse without intimidating them.