best book of critical thinking

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Philosophy Books

The best books on critical thinking, recommended by nigel warburton.

Thinking from A to Z by Nigel Warburton

Do you know your straw man arguments from your weasel words? Nigel Warburton , Five Books philosophy editor and author of Thinking from A to Z,  selects some of the best books on critical thinking—and explains how they will help us make better-informed decisions and construct more valid arguments.

Interview by Cal Flyn , Deputy Editor

Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World by Carl Bergstrom & Jevin West

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About The World — And Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling

Black Box Thinking: The Surprising Truth About Success by Matthew Syed

The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli

Critical Thinking: Your Guide to Effective Argument, Successful Analysis and Independent Study by Tom Chatfield

1 Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World by Carl Bergstrom & Jevin West

2 thinking, fast and slow by daniel kahneman, 3 factfulness: ten reasons we're wrong about the world — and why things are better than you think by hans rosling, 4 black box thinking: the surprising truth about success by matthew syed, 5 the art of thinking clearly by rolf dobelli, 6 critical thinking: your guide to effective argument, successful analysis and independent study by tom chatfield.

I t’s been just over two years since you explained to us what critical thinking is all about. Could you update us on any books that have come out since we first spoke?

Calling Bullshit by Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West started life as a course at the University of Washington. It is a book—a handbook really—written with the conviction that bullshit, particularly the kind that is circulated on the Internet, is damaging democracy , and that misinformation and disinformation can have very serious consequences. Bullshitters don’t care about truth. But truth is important, and this book shows why. It is focussed on examples from science and medicine, but ranges more widely too. It’s a lively read. It covers not just verbal bullshit, bullshit with statistics (particularly in relation to big data) and about causation, but also has a chapter on bullshit data visualisations that distract from the content they are about, or present that data in misleading ways. Like all good books on critical thinking this one includes some discussion of the psychology of being taken in by misleading contributions to public debate.

In How To Make the World Add Up , Tim Harford gives us ten rules for thinking better about numbers, together with a Golden Rule (‘Be curious’). Anyone who has listened to his long-running radio series More or Less will know how brilliant Tim is at explaining number-based claims – as I read it, I hallucinated Tim’s reassuring, sceptical, reasonable, amused, and  patient voice. He draws on a rich and fascinating range of examples to teach us (gently) how not to be taken in by statistics and poorly supported claims. There is some overlap with Calling Bullshit , but they complement each other. Together they provide an excellent training in how not to be bamboozled by data-based claims.

[end of update. The original interview appears below]

___________________________

We’re here to talk about critical thinking. Before we discuss your book recommendations, I wonder if you would first explain: What exactly is critical thinking, and when should we be using it?

There’s a whole cluster of things that go under the label ‘critical thinking’. There’s what you might call formal logic , the most extreme case of abstractions. For example take the syllogism: if all men are mortal, and Socrates is a man, you can deduce from that structure of arguments that Socrates is mortal. You could put anything in the slots of ‘men,’ ‘Socrates,’ ‘mortal’, and whatever you put in, the argument structure remains valid. If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true. That kind of logic, which can be represented using letters and signs rather than words, has its place. Formal logic is a quasi-mathematical (some would say mathematical) subject.

But that’s just one element of critical thinking. Critical thinking is broader, though it encompasses that. In recent years, it’s been very common to include discussion of cognitive biases—the psychological mistakes we make in reasoning and the tendencies we have to think in certain patterns which don’t give us reliably good results. That’s another aspect: focussing on the cognitive biases is a part of what’s sometimes called ‘informal logic’, the sorts of reasoning errors that people make, which can be described as fallacious. They’re not, strictly speaking, logical fallacies, always. Some of them are simply psychological tendencies that give us unreliable results.

The gambler’s fallacy is a famous one: somebody throwing a die that isn’t loaded has thrown it three times without getting a six, and then imagines that, by some kind of law of averages, the fourth time they’re more likely to get a six, because they haven’t yet got one yet. That’s just a bad kind of reasoning, because each time that you roll the dice, the odds are the same: there’s a one in six chance of throwing a six. There’s no cumulative effect and a dice doesn’t have a memory. But we have this tendency, or certainly gamblers often do, to think that somehow the world will even things out and give you a win if you’ve had a series of losses. That’s a kind of informal reasoning error that many of us make, and there are lots of examples like that.

I wrote a little book called Thinking from A to Z which was meant to name and explain a whole series of moves and mistakes in thinking. I included logic, some cognitive biases, some rhetorical moves, and also (for instance) the topic of pseudo-profundity, whereby people make seemingly deep statements that are in fact shallow. The classical example is to give a seeming paradox—to say, for example ‘knowledge is just a kind of ignorance,’ or ‘virtue is only achieved through vice.’ Actually, that’s just a rhetorical trick, and once you see it, you can generate any number of such ‘profundities’. I suppose that would fall under rhetoric, the art of persuasion: persuading people that you are a deeper thinker than you are. Good reasoning isn’t necessarily the best way to persuade somebody of something, and there are many devious tricks that people use within discussion to persuade people of a particular position. The critical thinker is someone who recognises the moves, can anatomise the arguments, and call them to attention.

So, in answer to your question: critical thinking is not just pure logic . It’s a cluster of things. But its aim is to be clear about what is being argued, what follows from the given evidence and arguments, and to detect any cognitive biases or rhetorical moves that may lead us astray.

Many of the terms you define and illustrate in Thinking from A to Z— things like ‘straw man’ arguments and ‘weasel words’—have been creeping into general usage. I see them thrown around on Twitter. Do you think that our increased familiarity with debate, thanks to platforms like Twitter, has improved people’s critical thinking or made it worse?

I think that improving your critical thinking can be quite difficult. But one of the ways of doing it is to have memorable labels, which can describe the kind of move that somebody’s making, or the kind of reasoning error, or the kind of persuasive technique they’re using.

For example, you can step back from a particular case and see that somebody’s using a ‘weak analogy’. Once you’re familiar with the notion of a weak analogy, it’s a term that you can use to draw attention to a comparison between two things which aren’t actually alike in the respects that somebody is implying they are. Then the next move of a critical thinker would be to point out the respects in which this analogy doesn’t hold, and so demonstrate how poor it is at supporting the conclusion provided. Or, to use the example of weasel words—once you know that concept, it’s easier to spot them and to speak about them.

Social media, particularly Twitter, is quite combative. People are often looking for critical angles on things that people have said, and you’re limited in words. I suspect that labels are probably in use there as a form of shorthand. As long as they’re used in a precise way, this can be a good thing. But remember that responding to someone’s argument with ‘that’s a fallacy’, without actually spelling out what sort of fallacy it is supposed to be, is a form of dismissive rhetoric itself.

There are also a huge number of resources online now which allow people to discover definitions of critical thinking terms. When I first wrote Thinking from A to Z , there weren’t the same number of resources available. I wrote it in ‘A to Z’ form, partly just as a fun device that allows for lots of cross references, but partly because I wanted to draw attention to the names of things. Naming the moves is important.

“People seem to get a kick out of the idea of sharing irrelevant features—it might be a birthday or it might be a hometown—with somebody famous. But so what?”

The process of writing the book improved my critical thinking quite a lot, because I had to think more precisely about what particular terms meant and find examples of them that were unambiguous. That was the hardest thing, to find clear-cut examples of the various moves, to illustrate them. I coined some of the names myself: there’s one in there which is called the ‘Van Gogh fallacy,’ which is the pattern of thought when people say: ‘Well, Van Gogh had red hair, was a bit crazy, was left-handed, was born on the 30th of March, and, what do you know, I share all those things’—which I do happen to do—‘and therefore I must be a great genius too.’

I love that. Well, another title that deals with psychological biases is the first critical thinking book that you want to discuss, Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow . Why did you choose this one?

This is an international bestseller by the Nobel Prize-winning behavioural economist—although he’s principally a psychologist—Daniel Kahneman. He developed research with Amos Tversky, who unfortunately died young. I think it would have been a co-written book otherwise. It’s a brilliant book that summarizes their psychological research on cognitive biases (or its patterns of thinking) which all of us are prone to, which aren’t reliable.

There is a huge amount of detail in the book. It summarizes a lifetime of research—two lifetimes, really. But Kahneman is very clear about the way he describes patterns of thought: as using either ‘System One’ or ‘System Two.’ System One is the fast, intuitive, emotional response to situations where we jump to a conclusion very quickly. You know: 2 + 2 is 4. You don’t think about it.

System Two is more analytical, conscious, slower, methodical, deliberative. A more logical process, which is much more energy consuming. We stop and think. How would you answer 27 × 17? You’d have to think really hard, and do a calculation using the System Two kind of thinking. The problem is that we rely on this System One—this almost instinctive response to situations—and often come out with bad answers as a result. That’s a framework within which a lot of his analysis is set.

I chose this book because it’s a good read, and it’s a book you can keep coming back to—but also because it’s written by a very important researcher in the area. So it’s got the authority of the person who did the actual psychological research. But it’s got some great descriptions of the phenomena he researches, I think. Anchoring, for instance. Do you know about anchoring?

I think so. Is that when you provide an initial example that shapes future responses? Perhaps you’d better explain it.

That’s more or less it. If you present somebody with an arbitrary number, psychologically, most people seem prone when you ask them a question to move in the direction of that number. For instance, there’s an experiment with judges. They were being asked off the cuff: What would be a good sentence for a particular crime, say shoplifting? Maybe they’d say it would be a six-month sentence for a persistent shoplifter.

But if you prime a judge by giving an anchoring number—if you ask, ‘Should the sentence for shoplifting be more than nine months?’ They’re more like to say on average that the sentence should be eight months than they would have been otherwise. And if you say, ‘Should it be punished by a sentence of longer than three months?’ they’re more likely to come down in the area of five , than they would otherwise.

So the way you phrase a question, by introducing these numbers, you give an anchoring effect. It sways people’s thinking towards that number. If you ask people if Gandhi was older than 114 years old when he died, people give a higher answer than if you just asked them: ‘How old was Gandhi when he died?’

I’ve heard this discussed in the context of charity donations. Asking if people will donate, say, £20 a month returns a higher average pledge than asking for £1 a month.

People use this anchoring technique often with selling wine on a list too. If there’s a higher-priced wine for £75, then somehow people are more drawn to one that costs £40 than they would otherwise have been. If  that was the most expensive one on the menu, they wouldn’t have been drawn to the £40 bottle, but just having seen the higher price, they seem to be drawn to a higher number. This phenomenon occurs in many areas.

And there are so many things that Kahneman covers. There’s the sunk cost fallacy, this tendency that we have when we give our energy, or money, or time to a project—we’re very reluctant to stop, even when it’s irrational to carry on. You see this a lot in descriptions of withdrawal from war situations. We say: ‘We’ve given all those people’s lives, all that money, surely we’re not going to stop this campaign now.’ But it might be the rational thing to do. All that money being thrown there, doesn’t mean that throwing more in that direction will get a good result. It seems that we have a fear of future regret that outweighs everything else. This dominates our thinking.

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What Kahneman emphasizes is that System One thinking produces overconfidence based on what’s often an erroneous assessment of a situation. All of us are subject to these cognitive biases, and that they’re extremely difficult to remove. Kahneman’s a deeply pessimistic thinker in some respects; he recognizes that even after years of studying these phenomena he can’t eliminate them from his own thinking. I interviewed him for a podcast once , and said to him: ‘Surely, if you teach people critical thinking, they can get better at eliminating some of these biases.’ He was not optimistic about that. I’m much more optimistic than him. I don’t know whether he had empirical evidence to back that up, about whether studying critical thinking can increase your thinking abilities. But I was surprised how pessimistic he was.

Interesting.

Unlike some of the other authors that we’re going to discuss . . .

Staying on Kahneman for a moment, you mentioned that he’d won a Nobel Prize, not for his research in psychology per se but for his influence on the field of economics . His and Tversky’s ground-breaking work on the irrationality of human behaviour and thinking forms the spine of a new field.

Let’s look at Hans Rosling’s book next, this is Factfulness . What does it tell us about critical thinking?

Rosling was a Swedish statistician and physician, who, amongst other things, gave some very popular TED talks . His book Factfulness , which was published posthumously—his son and daughter-in-law completed the book—is very optimistic, so completely different in tone from Kahneman’s. But he focuses in a similar way on the ways that people make mistakes.

We make mistakes, classically, in being overly pessimistic about things that are changing in the world. In one of Rosling’s examples he asks what percentage of the world population is living on less than $2 a day. People almost always overestimate that number, and also the direction in which things are moving, and the speed in which they’re moving. Actually, in 1966, half of the world’s population was in extreme poverty by that measure, but by 2017 it was only 9%, so there’s been a dramatic reduction in global poverty. But most people don’t realise this because they don’t focus on the facts, and are possibly influenced by what they may have known about the situation in the 1960s.

If people are asked what percentage of children are vaccinated against common diseases, they almost always underestimate it. The correct answer is a very high proportion, something like 80%. Ask people what the life expectancy for every child born today is, the global average, and again they get it wrong. It’s over 70 now, another surprisingly high figure. What Rosling’s done as a statistician is he’s looked carefully at the way the world is.

“Pessimists tend not to notice changes for the better”

People assume that the present is like the past, so when they’ve learnt something about the state of world poverty or they’ve learnt about health, they often neglect to take a second reading and see the direction in which things are moving, and the speed with which things are changing. That’s the message of this book.

It’s an interesting book; it’s very challenging. It may be over-optimistic. But it does have this startling effect on the readers of challenging widely held assumptions, much as Steven Pinker ‘s The Better Angels of Our Nature has done. It’s a plea to look at the empirical data, and not just assume that you know how things are now. But pessimists tend not to notice changes for the better. In many ways, though clearly not in relation to global warming and climate catastrophe, the statistics are actually very good for humanity.

That’s reassuring.

So this is critical thinking of a numerical, statistical kind. It’s a bit different from the more verbally-based critical thinking that I’ve been involved with. I’m really interested to have my my assumptions challenged, and Factfulness is a very readable book. It’s lively and thought-provoking.

Coming back to what you said about formal logic earlier, statistics is another dense subject which needs specialist training. But it’s one that has a lot in common with critical thinking and a lot of people find very difficult—by which I mean, it’s often counter-intuitive.

One of the big problems for an ordinary reader looking at this kind of book is that we are not equipped to judge the reliability of his sources, and so the reliability of the conclusions that he draws. I think we have to take it on trust and authority and hope that, given the division of intellectual labour, there are other statisticians looking at his work and seeing whether he was actually justified in drawing the conclusions that he drew. He made these sorts of public pronouncements for a long time and responded to critics.

But you’re right that there is a problem here. I believe that most people can equip themselves with tools for critical thinking that work in everyday life. They can learn something about cognitive biases; they can learn about reasoning and rhetoric, and I believe that we can put ourselves as members of a democracy in a position where we think critically about the evidence and arguments that are being presented to us, politically and in the press. That should be open to all intelligent people, I think. It is not a particularly onerous task to equip yourself with a basic tools of thinking clearly.

Absolutely. Next you wanted to talk about Five Books alumnus Matthew Syed ‘s Black Box Thinking .

Yes, quite a different book. Matthew Syed is famous as a former international table tennis player, but—most people probably don’t know this—he has a first-class degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from Oxford as well.

This book is really interesting. It’s an invitation to think differently about failure. The title, Black Box Thinking, comes from the black boxes which are standardly included in every passenger aircraft, so that if an accident occurs there’s a recording of the flight data and a recording of the audio communications as the plane goes down. When there’s a crash, rescuers always aim to recover these two black boxes. The data is then analysed, the causes of the crash, dissected and scrutinized, and the information shared across the aeronautic industry and beyond.

Obviously, everybody wants to avoid aviation disasters because they’re so costly in terms of loss of human life. They undermine trust in the whole industry. There’s almost always some kind of technical or human error that can be identified, and everybody can learn from particular crashes. This is a model of an industry where, when there is a failure, it’s treated as a very significant learning experience, with the result that airline travel has become a very safe form of transport.

This contrasts with some other areas of human endeavour, such as, sadly, much of healthcare, where the information about failures often isn’t widely shared. This can be for a number of reasons: there may be a fear of litigation—so if a surgeon does something unorthodox, or makes a mistake, and somebody as a result doesn’t survive an operation, the details of exactly what happened on the operating table will not be widely shared, typically, because there is this great fear of legal comeback.

The hierarchical aspects of the medical profession may have a part to play here, too. People higher up in the profession are able to keep a closed book, and not share their mistakes with others, because it might be damaging to their careers for people to know about their errors. There has been, historically anyway, a tendency for medical negligence and medical error, to be kept very quiet, kept hidden, hard to investigate.

“You can never fully confirm an empirical hypothesis, but you can refute one by finding a single piece of evidence against it”

What Matthew Syed is arguing is that we need to take a different attitude to failure and see it as the aviation industry does. He’s particularly interested in this being done within the healthcare field, but more broadly too. It’s an idea that’s come partly from his reading of the philosopher Karl Popper, who described how science progresses not by proving theories true, but by trying to disprove them. You can never fully confirm an empirical hypothesis, but you can refute one by finding a single piece of evidence against it. So, in a sense, the failure of the hypothesis is the way by which science progresses: conjecture followed by refutation, not hypothesis followed by confirmation.

As Syed argues, we progress in all kinds of areas is by making mistakes. He was a superb table-tennis player, and he knows that every mistake that he made was a learning experience, at least potentially, a chance to improve. I think you’d find the same attitude among musicians, or in areas where practitioners are very attentive to the mistakes that they make, and how those failures can teach them in a way that allows them to make a leap forward. The book has a whole range of examples, many from industry, about how different ways of thinking about failure can improve the process and the output of particular practices.

When we think of bringing up kids to succeed, and put emphasis on avoiding failure, we may not be helping them develop. Syed’s argument is that we should make failure a more positive experience, rather than treat it as something that’s terrifying, and always to be shied away from. If you’re trying to achieve success, and you think, ‘I have to achieve that by accumulating other successes,’ perhaps that’s the wrong mindset to achieve success at the higher levels. Perhaps you need to think, ‘Okay, I’m going to make some mistakes, how can I learn from this, how can I share these mistakes, and how can other people learn from them too?’

That’s interesting. In fact, just yesterday I was discussing a book by Atul Gawande, the surgeon and New Yorker writer, called The Checklist Manifesto . In that, Gawande also argues that we should draw from the success of aviation, in that case, the checklists that they run through before take-off and so on, and apply it to other fields like medicine. A system like this is aiming to get rid of human error, and I suppose that’s what critical thinking tries to do, too: rid us of the gremlins in machine.

Well, it’s also acknowledging that when you make an error, it can have disastrous consequence. But you don’t eliminate errors just by pretending they didn’t occur. With the Chernobyl disaster , for instance, there was an initial unwillingness to accept the evidence in front of people’s eyes that a disaster had occurred, combined with a fear of being seen to have messed up. There’s that tendency to think that everything’s going well, a kind of cognitive bias towards optimism and a fear of being responsible for error, but it’s also this unwillingness to see that in certain areas, admission of failure and sharing of the knowledge that mistakes have occurred is the best way to minimize failure in the future.

Very Beckettian . “Fail again. Fail better.”

Absolutely. Well, shall we move onto to Rolf Dobelli’s 2013 book, The Art of Thinking Clearly ?

Yes. This is quite a light book in comparison with the others. It’s really a summary of 99 moves in thinking, some of them psychological, some of them logical, some of them social. What I like about it is that he uses lots of examples. Each of the 99 entries is pretty short, and it’s the kind of book you can dip into. I would think it would be very indigestible to read it from cover to cover, but it’s a book to keep going back to.

I included it because it suggests you can you improve your critical thinking by having labels for things, recognising the moves, but also by having examples which are memorable, through which you can learn. This is an unpretentious book. Dobelli doesn’t claim to be an original thinker himself; he’s a summariser of other people’s thoughts. What he’s done is brought lots of different things together in one place.

Just to give a flavour of the book: he’s got a chapter on the paradox of choice that’s three pages long called ‘Less is More,’ and it’s the very simple idea that if you present somebody with too many choices, rather than freeing them and improving their life and making them happier, it wastes a lot of their time, even destroys the quality of their life.

“If you present somebody with too many choices, it wastes a lot of their time”

I saw an example of this the other day in the supermarket. I bumped into a friend who was standing in front of about 20 different types of coffee. The type that he usually buys wasn’t available, and he was just frozen in this inability to make a decision between all the other brands that were in front of him. If there’d only been one or two, he’d have just gone for one of those quickly.

Dobelli here is summarising the work of psychologist Barry Schwartz who concluded that generally, a broader selection leads people to make poorer decisions for themselves. We think going into the world that what we need is more choice, because that’ll allow us to do the thing we want to do, acquire just the right consumable, or whatever. But perhaps just raising that possibility, the increased number of choices will lead us to make poorer choices than if we had fewer to choose between.

Now, that’s the descriptive bit, but at the end of this short summary, he asks ‘So what can you do about this practically?’ His answer is that you should think carefully about what you want before you look at what’s on offer. Write down the things you think you want and stick to them. Don’t let yourself be swayed by further choices. And don’t get caught up in a kind of irrational perfectionism. This is not profound advice, but it’s stimulating. And that’s typical of the book.

You can flip through these entries and you can take them or leave them. It’s a kind of self-help manual.

Oh, I love that. A critical thinking self-help book .

It really is in that self-help genre, and it’s nicely done. He gets in and out in a couple of pages for each of these. I wouldn’t expect this to be on a philosophy reading list or anything like that, but it’s been an international bestseller. It’s a clever book, and I think it’s definitely worth dipping into and coming back to. The author is not claiming that it is the greatest or most original book in the world; rather, it’s just a book that’s going to help you think clearly. That’s the point.

Absolutely. Let’s move to the final title, Tom Chatfield’s Critical Thinking: Your Guide to Effective Argument, Successful Analysis and Independent Study . We had Tom on Five Books many moons ago to discuss books about computer games . This is rather different. What makes it so good?

Well, this is a different kind of book. I was trying to think about somebody reading this interview who wants to improve their thinking. Of the books I’ve discussed, the ones that are most obviously aimed at that are Black Box Thinking , the Dobelli book, and Tom Chatfield’s Critical Thinking . The others are more descriptive or academic. But this book is quite a contrast with the Dobelli’s. The Art of Thinking Clearly is a very short and punchy book, while Tom’s is longer, and more of a textbook. It includes exercises, with summaries in the margins, it’s printed in textbook format. But that shouldn’t put a general reader off, because I think it’s the kind of thing you can work through yourself and dip into.

It’s clearly written and accessible, but it is designed to be used on courses as well. Chatfield teaches a point, then asks you to test yourself to see whether you’ve learnt the moves that he’s described. It’s very wide-ranging: it includes material on cognitive biases as well as more logical moves and arguments. His aim is not simply to help you think better, and to structure arguments better, but also to write better. It’s the kind of book that you might expect a good university to present to the whole first year intake, across a whole array of courses. But I’m including it here more as a recommendation for the autodidact. If you want to learn to think better: here is a course in the form of a book. You can work through this on your own.

It’s a contrast with the other books as well, so that’s part of my reason for putting it in there, so there’s a range of books on this list.

Definitely. I think Five Books readers, almost by definition, tend towards autodidacticism, so this is a perfect book recommendation. And, finally, to close: do you think that critical thinking is something that more people should make an effort to learn? I suppose the lack of it might help to explain the rise of post-truth politics.

It’s actually quite difficult to teach critical thinking in isolation. In the Open University’s philosophy department, when I worked there writing and designing course materials, we decided in the end to teach critical thinking as it arose in teaching other content: by stepping back from time to time to look at the critical thinking moves being made by philosophers, and the critical thinking moves a good student might make in response to them. Pedagogically, that often works much better than attempting to teach critical thinking as a separate subject in isolation.

This approach can work in scientific areas too. A friend of mine has run a successful university course for zoologists on critical thinking, looking at correlation and cause, particular types of rhetoric that are used in write ups and experiments, and so on, but all the time driven by real examples from zoology. If you’ve got some subject matter, and you’ve got examples of people reasoning, and you can step back from it, I think this approach can work very well.

But in answer to your question, I think that having some basic critical thinking skills is a prerequisite of being a good citizen in a democracy . If you are too easily swayed by rhetoric, weak at analysing arguments and the ways that people use evidence, and prone to all kinds of biases that you are unaware of, how can you engage politically? So yes, all of us can improve our critical thinking skills, and I do believe that that is an aspect of living the examined life that Socrates was so keen we all should do.

December 4, 2020

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Nigel Warburton

Nigel Warburton is a freelance philosopher, writer and host of the podcast Philosophy Bites . Featuring short interviews with the world's best philosophers on bite-size topics, the podcast has been downloaded more than 40 million times. He is also our philosophy editor here at Five Books , where he has been interviewing other philosophers about the best books on a range of philosophy topics since 2013 (you can read all the interviews he's done here: not all are about philosophy). In addition, he's recommended books for us on the best introductions to philosophy , the best critical thinking books, as well as some of the key texts to read in the Western canon . His annual recommendations of the best philosophy books of the year are among our most popular interviews on Five Books . As an author, he is best known for his introductory philosophy books, listed below:

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A Crash Course in Critical Thinking

What you need to know—and read—about one of the essential skills needed today..

Posted April 8, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

• In research for "A More Beautiful Question," I did a deep dive into the current crisis in critical thinking.
• Many people may think of themselves as critical thinkers, but they actually are not.
• Here is a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you are thinking critically.

Conspiracy theories. Inability to distinguish facts from falsehoods. Widespread confusion about who and what to believe.

These are some of the hallmarks of the current crisis in critical thinking—which just might be the issue of our times. Because if people aren’t willing or able to think critically as they choose potential leaders, they’re apt to choose bad ones. And if they can’t judge whether the information they’re receiving is sound, they may follow faulty advice while ignoring recommendations that are science-based and solid (and perhaps life-saving).

Moreover, as a society, if we can’t think critically about the many serious challenges we face, it becomes more difficult to agree on what those challenges are—much less solve them.

On a personal level, critical thinking can enable you to make better everyday decisions. It can help you make sense of an increasingly complex and confusing world.

In the new expanded edition of my book A More Beautiful Question ( AMBQ ), I took a deep dive into critical thinking. Here are a few key things I learned.

First off, before you can get better at critical thinking, you should understand what it is. It’s not just about being a skeptic. When thinking critically, we are thoughtfully reasoning, evaluating, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. And—perhaps most important—while doing this, a critical thinker always strives to be open-minded and fair-minded . That’s not easy: It demands that you constantly question your assumptions and biases and that you always remain open to considering opposing views.

In today’s polarized environment, many people think of themselves as critical thinkers simply because they ask skeptical questions—often directed at, say, certain government policies or ideas espoused by those on the “other side” of the political divide. The problem is, they may not be asking these questions with an open mind or a willingness to fairly consider opposing views.

When people do this, they’re engaging in “weak-sense critical thinking”—a term popularized by the late Richard Paul, a co-founder of The Foundation for Critical Thinking . “Weak-sense critical thinking” means applying the tools and practices of critical thinking—questioning, investigating, evaluating—but with the sole purpose of confirming one’s own bias or serving an agenda.

In AMBQ , I lay out a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you’re thinking critically. Here are some of the questions to consider:

• Why do I believe what I believe?
• Are my views based on evidence?
• Have I fairly and thoughtfully considered differing viewpoints?
• Am I truly open to changing my mind?

Of course, becoming a better critical thinker is not as simple as just asking yourself a few questions. Critical thinking is a habit of mind that must be developed and strengthened over time. In effect, you must train yourself to think in a manner that is more effortful, aware, grounded, and balanced.

For those interested in giving themselves a crash course in critical thinking—something I did myself, as I was working on my book—I thought it might be helpful to share a list of some of the books that have shaped my own thinking on this subject. As a self-interested author, I naturally would suggest that you start with the new 10th-anniversary edition of A More Beautiful Question , but beyond that, here are the top eight critical-thinking books I’d recommend.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark , by Carl Sagan

This book simply must top the list, because the late scientist and author Carl Sagan continues to be such a bright shining light in the critical thinking universe. Chapter 12 includes the details on Sagan’s famous “baloney detection kit,” a collection of lessons and tips on how to deal with bogus arguments and logical fallacies.

Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results , by Shane Parrish

The creator of the Farnham Street website and host of the “Knowledge Project” podcast explains how to contend with biases and unconscious reactions so you can make better everyday decisions. It contains insights from many of the brilliant thinkers Shane has studied.

Good Thinking: Why Flawed Logic Puts Us All at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World , by David Robert Grimes

A brilliant, comprehensive 2021 book on critical thinking that, to my mind, hasn’t received nearly enough attention . The scientist Grimes dissects bad thinking, shows why it persists, and offers the tools to defeat it.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know , by Adam Grant

Intellectual humility—being willing to admit that you might be wrong—is what this book is primarily about. But Adam, the renowned Wharton psychology professor and bestselling author, takes the reader on a mind-opening journey with colorful stories and characters.

Think Like a Detective: A Kid's Guide to Critical Thinking , by David Pakman

The popular YouTuber and podcast host Pakman—normally known for talking politics —has written a terrific primer on critical thinking for children. The illustrated book presents critical thinking as a “superpower” that enables kids to unlock mysteries and dig for truth. (I also recommend Pakman’s second kids’ book called Think Like a Scientist .)

Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters , by Steven Pinker

The Harvard psychology professor Pinker tackles conspiracy theories head-on but also explores concepts involving risk/reward, probability and randomness, and correlation/causation. And if that strikes you as daunting, be assured that Pinker makes it lively and accessible.

How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion and Persuasion , by David McRaney

David is a science writer who hosts the popular podcast “You Are Not So Smart” (and his ideas are featured in A More Beautiful Question ). His well-written book looks at ways you can actually get through to people who see the world very differently than you (hint: bludgeoning them with facts definitely won’t work).

A Healthy Democracy's Best Hope: Building the Critical Thinking Habit , by M Neil Browne and Chelsea Kulhanek

Neil Browne, author of the seminal Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, has been a pioneer in presenting critical thinking as a question-based approach to making sense of the world around us. His newest book, co-authored with Chelsea Kulhanek, breaks down critical thinking into “11 explosive questions”—including the “priors question” (which challenges us to question assumptions), the “evidence question” (focusing on how to evaluate and weigh evidence), and the “humility question” (which reminds us that a critical thinker must be humble enough to consider the possibility of being wrong).

Warren Berger is a longtime journalist and author of A More Beautiful Question .

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Best Books on Critical Thinking

Dive into the realm of logic and reason with this collection – the most recommended books on critical thinking, curated based on frequent recommendations from leading book blogs and publications..

100 Best Critical Thinking Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best critical thinking books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Kahneman | 5.00

Barack Obama A few months ago, Mr. Obama read “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” by Daniel Kahneman, about how people make decisions — quick, instinctive thinking versus slower, contemplative deliberation. For Mr. Obama, a deliberator in an instinctive business, this may be as instructive as any political science text. (Source)

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2012.] (Source)

Marc Andreessen Captivating dive into human decision making, marred by inclusion of several/many? psychology studies that fail to replicate. Will stand as a cautionary tale? (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

Factfulness

Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Ola Rosling | 4.62

Barack Obama As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Here’s my best of 2018... (Source)

Bill Gates This was a breakthrough to me. The framework Hans enunciates is one that took me decades of working in global development to create for myself, and I could have never expressed it in such a clear way. I’m going to try to use this model moving forward. (Source)

Nigel Warburton It’s an interesting book, it’s very challenging. It may be over-optimistic. But it does have this startling effect on the readers of challenging widely held assumptions. It’s a plea to look at the empirical data, and not just assume that you know how things are now. (Source)

The Demon-haunted World

Science As a Candle in the Dark

Carl Sagan | 4.54

James Randi First of all, Carl was my very good friend, and we had a lot of confidences over the years. He was the epitome of the scientific mind and the scientific thinker. In The Demon-Haunted World, one of his later books, he investigates pseudoscience, frauds and fakes, and the mistakes that scientists made over the years. It’s very comprehensive. He had a whole chapter devoted to “Carlos” – or Jose... (Source)

Philip Plait He holds your hand and shows you the wonders of science and the universe. The Demon-Haunted World is probably his best book. (Source)

Dallas Campbell @TheChilterns Even if you profoundly disagree with Clarke, it’s very detailed. The classic is of course ‘The Demon Haunted World’ by Carl Sagan. When I’m Prime Minister it will be compulsory reading at school! Best book on what science is/isn’t and why we think the way we do. 👍 (Source)

The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert B. Cialdini | 4.53

Charles T. Munger Robert Cialdini has had a greater impact on my thinking on this topic than any other scientist. (Source)

Dan Ariely It covers a range of ways in which we end up doing things, and how we don’t understand why we’re doing them. (Source)

Max Levchin [Max Levchin recommended this book as an answer to "What business books would you advise young entrepreneurs read?"] (Source)

A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari | 4.52

Richard Branson One example of a book that has helped me to #ReadToLead this year is Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. While the book came out a few years ago now, I got around to it this year, and am very glad I did. I’ve always been fascinated in what makes humans human, and how people are constantly evolving, changing and growing. The genius of Sapiens is that it takes some daunting,... (Source)

Reid Hoffman A grand theory of humanity. (Source)

Barack Obama eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-leader-2','ezslot_7',164,'0','1'])); Fact or fiction, the president knows that reading keeps the mind sharp. He also delved into these non-fiction reads. (Source)

Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl, William J. Winslade, et al. | 4.50

Tony Robbins Another book that I’ve read dozens of times. It taught me that if you change the meaning, you change everything. Meaning equals emotion, and emotion equals life. (Source)

Jimmy Fallon I read it while spending ten days in the ICU of Bellevue hospital trying to reattach my finger from a ring avulsion accident in my kitchen. It talks about the meaning of life, and I believe you come out a better person from reading it. (Source)

Dustin Moskovitz [Dustin Moskovitz recommended this book on Twitter.] (Source)

Predictably Irrational

The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Dan Ariely | 4.48

Nick Harkaway Predictably Irrational is an examination of the way in which we make decisions irrationally, and how that irrationality can be predicted. (Source)

Jonah Lehrer Dan Ariely is a very creative guy and was able to take this basic idea, that humans are irrational, and mine it in a million different directions. (Source)

The Black Swan

The Impact of the Highly Improbable

Nassim Nicholas Taleb | 4.48

Jeff Bezos [From the book "The Everything Store: and the Age of Amazon"] “The scholar argues that people are wired to see patterns in chaos while remaining blind to unpredictable events, with massive consequences. Experimentation and empiricism trumps the easy and obvious narrative,” Stone writes. (Source)

James Altucher And throw in “The Black Swan” and “Fooled by Randomness”. “Fragile” means if you hit something might break. “Resilient” means if you hit something, it will stay the same. On my podcast Nassim discusses “Antifragility” – building a system, even on that works for you on a personal level, where you if you harm your self in some way it becomes stronger. That podcast changed my life He discusses... (Source)

Freakonomics

A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Stephen J. Levitt, Steven D.; Dubner | 4.45

Malcolm Gladwell I don’t need to say much here. This book invented an entire genre. Economics was never supposed to be this entertaining. (Source)

Daymond John I love newer books like [this book]. (Source)

James Altucher [James Altucher recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

How to Read a Book

The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren | 4.45

Sergey Brin had “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler as one of his most recommended books. (Source)

Ben Chestnut I also love How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler. I’m teaching its tips to my children while they’re young, so they can consume books much faster and have more fun reading. (Source)

Kevin Systrom [The author's] thesis is that the most important part of reading a book is to actually read the table of contents and familiarize yourself with the major structure of the book. (Source)

Don't have time to read the top Critical Thinking books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

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The Tipping Point

How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.38

Kevin Rose Bunch of really good information in here on how to make ideas go viral. This could be good to apply to any kind of products or ideas you may have. Definitely, check out The Tipping Point, which is one of my favorites. (Source)

Seth Godin Malcolm Gladwell's breakthrough insight was to focus on the micro-relationships between individuals, which helped organizations realize that it's not about the big ads and the huge charity balls... it's about setting the stage for the buzz to start. (Source)

Andy Stern I think that when we talk about making change, it is much more about macro change, like in policy. This book reminds you that at times when you're building big movements, or trying to elect significant decision-makers in politics, sometimes it's the little things that make a difference. Ever since the book was written, we've become very used to the idea of things going viral unexpectedly and then... (Source)

Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

Richard H. Thaler | 4.37

Dan Ariely Nudge is a very important book. One of the reasons Nudge is so important is because it’s taking these ideas and applying them to the policy domain. Here are the mistakes we make. Here are the ways marketers are trying to influence us. Here’s the way we might be able to fight back. If policymakers understood these principles, what could they do? The other important thing about the book is that it... (Source)

Eric Ries A pioneer in behavioral economics and just recently awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics, his classic book on how to make better decisions. (Source)

Ryan Holiday This might feel like a weird book to include, but I think it presents another side of strategy that is too often forgotten. It’s not always about bold actors and strategic thrusts. Sometimes strategy is about subtle influence. Sometimes it is framing and small tweaks that change behavior. We can have big aims, but get there with little moves. This book has excellent examples of that kind of... (Source)

Asking the Right Questions

A Guide to Critical Thinking

M. Neil Browne, Stuart M. Keeley | 4.36

Enlightenment Now

The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

Steven Pinker | 4.35

Bill Gates Pinker is at his best when he analyzes historic trends and uses data to put the past into context. I was already familiar with a lot of the information he shares—especially about health and energy—but he understands each subject so deeply that he’s able to articulate his case in a way that feels fresh and new. I love how he’s willing to dive deep into primary data sources and pull out unexpected... (Source)

Yuval Noah Harari There is of course much to argue about, but that’s what makes this book so interesting. (Source)

Sam Harris [Sam Harris picked this book as the first book in his Book Club.] (Source)

The New Psychology of Success

Carol S. Dweck | 4.34

Tony Robbins [Tony Robbins recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Bill Gates One of the reasons I loved Mindset is because it’s solutions-oriented. In the book’s final chapter, Dweck describes the workshop she and her colleagues have developed to shift students from a fixed to a growth mindset. These workshops demonstrate that ‘just learning about the growth mindset can cause a big shift in the way people think about themselves and their lives. (Source)

The Story of Success

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.34

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2011.] (Source)

James Altucher Gladwell is not the first person to come up with the 10,000 hour rule. Nor is he the first person to document what it takes to become the best in the world at something. But his stories are so great as he explains these deep concepts. How did the Beatles become the best? Why are professional hockey players born in January, February and March? And so on. (Source)

Cat Williams-Treloar The books that I've talked the most about with friends and colleagues over the years are the Malcolm Gladwell series of novels. Glorious stories that mix science, behaviours and insight. You can't go wrong with the "The Tipping Point", "Outliers", "Blink" or "David & Goliath". (Source)

Bad Science

Quacks, Hacks, and Big Pharma Flacks

Ben Goldacre | 4.33

Timothy Ferriss I agree wholeheartedly with a lot of the co-opted science, which people can read a book called Bad Science, which is by a doctor named Ben Goldacre. It’s great. (Source)

Tim Harford This book changed the way I thought about my own writing and it changed the way I thought about the world. It really is one of the best books I have ever read. (Source)

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore It’s just a brilliant book, and he’s a fearless defender of science. (Source)

The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.33

Mike Shinoda I know most of the guys in the band read [this book]. (Source)

Marillyn Hewson CEO Marilyn Hewson recommends this book because it helped her to trust her instincts in business. (Source)

A Field Guide to Lies

Critical Thinking with Statistics and the Scientific Method

Daniel J. Levitin | 4.28

The Art of Thinking Clearly

Better Thinking, Better Decision

dobelli rolf | 4.28

Robert Cialdini Dobelli examines our most common decision-making failings with engaging eloquence and describes how to counter them with instructive good sense. (Source)

Nigel Warburton This is an unpretentious book. Dobelli doesn’t claim to be an original thinker himself. He’s a summariser of other people’s thoughts. What he’s done is brought lots of different things together in one place. Each of the 99 entries is pretty short, and it’s the kind of book to dip into. (Source)

Antifragile

Things That Gain from Disorder

Nassim Nicholas Taleb | 4.27

James Altucher You ask about success. To be successful you have to avoid being “fragile” – the idea that if something hurts you, you let collapse completely. You also have to avoid simply being resilient. Bouncing back is not enough. Antifragile is when something tries to hurt you and you come back stronger. That is real life business. That is real life success. Nassim focuses on the economy. But when I read... (Source)

Marvin Liao eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-leader-2','ezslot_7',164,'0','1'])); My list would be (besides the ones I mentioned in answer to the previous question) both business & Fiction/Sci-Fi and ones I personally found helpful to myself. The business books explain just exactly how business, work & investing are in reality & how to think properly & differentiate yourself. On... (Source)

Vlad Tenev The general concept is applicable to many fields beyond biology, for instance finance, economics and monetary policy. (Source)

The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking

Edward B. Burger | 4.27

Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)

Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts

Mark Haddo | 4.25

Peter Attia A book about cognitive dissonance that looks at common weaknesses and biases in human thinking. Peter wants to ensure he goes through life without being too sure of himeself, and this book helps him to recalibrate. (Source)

Ryan Holiday Cognitive Dissonance is one of the most powerful and delusionary forces in the world. (Source)

David Kramaley When asked what books he would recommend to youngsters interested in his professional path, David mentioned Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me). (Source)

Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Cal Newport | 4.24

Marvin Liao The Joy of Not Working (Zelinkski), Flash Foresight (Burrus), The Art of Worldly Wisdom (Gracian), Sapiens (Yuval), The End of Jobs (Pearson), Deep Work (Newport), Sovereign Individual (Davidson), The Fourth Economy (Davison) & The Monk & the Riddle (Komisar). Every single one of these books completely changed how I looked at everything in the world & literally pushed my life in a new direction.... (Source)

Daniel Pink As automation and outsourcing reshape the workplace, what new skill do we need? The ability to do deep work. Cal Newport's exciting new book is an introduction and guide to the kind of intense concentration in a distraction-free environment that results in fast, powerful learning and performance. Think of it as calisthenics for your mind-and start your exercise program today. (Source)

Seth Godin Cal Newport is a clear voice in a sea of noise, bringing science and passion in equal measure. (Source)

Guns, Germs and Steel

The Fates of Human Societies

Jared Diamond Ph.D. | 4.24

Bill Gates Fascinating.... Lays a foundation for understanding human history. (Source)

Daniel Ek A brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning book about how the modern world was formed, analyzing how societies developed differently on different continents. (Source)

Yuval Noah Harari A book of big questions, and big answers. The book turned me from a historian of medieval warfare into a student of humankind. (Source)

A Rulebook for Arguments

Anthony Weston | 4.23

The God Delusion

Richard Dawkins | 4.22

Susan Jacoby Richard Dawkins is very funny. One of the reasons for reading The God Delusion is that it will disabuse you of the idea – which is a common stereotype of atheists – that they are utterly humourless. You hear this over and over again. I’m often invited to college campuses to give lectures, and often they’re religious schools – not fundamentalist schools, but colleges of a historically religious... (Source)

Vote Dem For The Planet @KimBledsoe14 @Goodbye_Jesus @Ian313f There were a lot of rebels and drifters in those days against the repressive regime. They had followers. Have you read “The God Delusion”? Great book. (Source)

Antonio Eram This book was recommended by Antonio when asked for titles he would recommend to young people interested in his career path. (Source)

Fooled by Randomness

The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

Nassim Nicholas Taleb | 4.22

Howard Marks Really about how much randomness there is in our world. (Source)

Anant Jain The five-book series, "Incerto", by Nassim Nicholas Taleb has had a profound impact on how I think about the world. There’s some overlap across the books — but you'll likely find the repetition helpful in retaining the content better. (Source)

Emotional Intelligence

Why It Can Matter More Than IQ

Daniel Goleman | 4.22

Drew Houston It’s nonfiction, but it spelled out something that I just didn’t know you could kind of break down in a logical way. And, suddenly, I had this understanding about the world that I didn’t have before. (Source)

Sharon Salzberg [Sharon Salzberg recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Roxana Bitoleanu [One of the books recommends to young people interested in her career path.] (Source)

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

Neil Postman, Andrew Postman | 4.22

Austin Kleon Earlier this year Postman’s son Andrew wrote an op-ed with the title, “My dad predicted Trump in 1985 — it’s not Orwell, he warned, it’s Brave New World.” Postman wrote: “What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.” (Source)

Steve Lance Neil Postman took the work of Marshall McLuhan – who was putting out early theories on media – and built on them. However, Postman was far more observant and empirical about the trends occurring in the media landscape. The trends which he identifies in Amusing Ourselves to Death, written in the 1980s, have since all come true. For example, he predicted that if you make news entertaining, then... (Source)

Kara Nortman @andrewchen Also a great book on the topic - Amusing Ourselves to Death https://t.co/yWLBxKumLQ (Source)

You Are Not So Smart

Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

David McRaney | 4.21

Jessica Flitter Honestly, almost every major topic that we cover in an introductory social psychology chapter is covered in the book. It makes psychology real: this isn’t something that theoretically exists in the classroom. It exists every single day. That’s why I love this book. (Source)

How Not to Be Wrong

The Power of Mathematical Thinking

Jordan Ellenberg | 4.20

Bill Gates The writing is funny, smooth, and accessible -- not what you might expect from a book about math. What Ellenberg has written is ultimately a love letter to math. If the stories he tells add up to a larger lesson, it’s that 'to do mathematics is to be, at once, touched by fire and bound by reason' -- and that there are ways in which we’re all doing math, all the time. (Source)

Auston Bunsen I’ve got a few, one book that really impacted me early on as someone coming from a middle-class family was “Rich dad, Poor dad”. Since then I’ve read many books but one that really stands out is “How not to be wrong” by Jordan Ellenberg which really reignited my appetite & appreciation for math. (Source)

Nick Ganju Written for an audience of people who have historically been intimidated by math [...] and introduces things in a very simple way, and then works up to more complex concepts. (Source)

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"

Adventures of a Curious Character

Richard P. Feynman, Ralph Leighton, Edward Hutchings, Albert R. Hibbs | 4.19

Sergey Brin Brin told the Academy of Achievement: "Aside from making really big contributions in his own field, he was pretty broad-minded. I remember he had an excerpt where he was explaining how he really wanted to be a Leonardo [da Vinci], an artist and a scientist. I found that pretty inspiring. I think that leads to having a fulfilling life." (Source)

Larry Page Google co-founder has listed this book as one of his favorites. (Source)

Peter Attia The book I’ve recommended most. (Source)

Critical Thinking

Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life

Richard Paul, Linda Elder | 4.19

How to Think About Weird Things

Critical Thinking for a New Age

Theodore Schick, Lewis Vaughn | 4.19

Stephen Law Carefully and critically, aware of the various cognitive biases to which we are, unfortunately, all very prone. This book explains various fallacies to watch out for; the Slippery Slope, the Straw Man fallacy, the Post Hoc fallacy, and so on. It points out all of the problems that we’ve already looked at so far as anecdotal evidence is concerned. It includes many impressive case studies and... (Source)

The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe

How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake

Steven Novella, Bob Novella - contributor, et al | 4.19

Black Box Thinking

Why Some People Never Learn from Their Mistakes - But Some Do

Matthew Syed | 4.18

Richard Branson [...] highlights the need for a growth mindset in life. It advocates for changing attitudes towards failure, and understanding that the only way we learn is by trying things and altering our behaviour based on the results. It’s an attitude we found incredibly valuable during my highlight of the year, completing the Virgin Strive Challenge. (Source)

Daniel Ek Since reading this book, I’ve literally incorporated this approach to problem-solving into every day. (Source)

Nigel Warburton As Syed argues, we progress in all kinds of areas is by making mistakes. He was a superb table-tennis player, and he knows that every mistake that he made was a learning experience, at least potentially, a chance to improve. I think you’d find the same attitude among musicians, or in areas where practitioners are very attentive to the mistake that they make, and how those failures can teach them... (Source)

How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger - Second Edition with a New Chapter by the Author

Darrell Huff and Irving Gei | 4.17

Bill Gates I picked this one up after seeing it on a Wall Street Journal list of good books for investors. It was first published in 1954, but it doesn’t feel dated (aside from a few anachronistic examples—it has been a long time since bread cost 5 cents a loaf in the United States). In fact, I’d say it’s more relevant than ever. One chapter shows you how visuals can be used to exaggerate trends and give... (Source)

Tobi Lütke We all live in Malcolm’s world because the shipping container has been hugely influential in history. (Source)

Jason Zweig This is a terrific introduction to critical thinking about statistics, for people who haven’t taken a class in statistics. (Source)

A Brief History of Tomorrow

Yuval Noah Harari | 4.16

Richard Branson I certainly wouldn’t consider myself a big reader of paleontology or anthropology – not good words for us dyslexics! – but I enjoy learning about how society has unfolded and history has developed in an exciting, easy to read way. The sequel, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, is a fascinating look into the future too. While these aren’t traditional business or leadership books, they are all... (Source)

Bill Gates Harari’s new book is as challenging and readable as Sapiens. Rather than looking back, as Sapiens does, it looks to the future. I don’t agree with everything the author has to say, but he has written a thoughtful look at what may be in store for humanity. (Source)

Vinod Khosla Not that I agree with all of it, but it is still mind-bending speculation about our future as a follow-up to a previous favorite, Sapiens. It’s directionally right. (Source)

Why People Believe Weird Things

Michael Shermer, Stephen Jay Gould | 4.16

Richard Wiseman A wider perspective on the paranormal, looking at UFOs and conspiracies – where people link up ideas which aren’t necessarily connected to one another. (Source)

The Selfish Gene

Richard Dawkins | 4.16

Why are there miles and miles of "unused" DNA within each of our bodies? Why should a bee give up its own chance to reproduce to help raise her sisters and brothers? With a prophet's clarity, Dawkins told us the answers from the perspective of molecules competing for limited space and resources to produce more of their own kind. Drawing fascinating examples from every field of biology, he paved the way for a serious re-evaluation of evolution. He also introduced the concept of self-reproducing ideas, or memes , which (seemingly) use humans exclusively for their propagation. If we are puppets, he says, at least we can try to understand our strings. --Rob Lightner

Charles T. Munger recommends this book in the second edition of Poor Charlie’s Almanack. (Source)

Matt Ridley Turned evolutionary biology on its head and was written like a great detective story. (Source)

Phil Libin Had a profound influence on me pretty early on. (Source)

How We Know What Isn't So

The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life

Thomas Gilovich | 4.16

Jonah Lehrer A really smart book and the reason I put it on there is that it really invented the genre of science non-fiction. (Source)

Nicholas Epley This is a book about intuitive human judgment and how the way we think about the world can be distorted and misdirected by forces within our own mind, like our tendency to think well of ourselves, by cognitive forces, such as the ease with which information comes to mind, and by environmental forces, like asymmetries in feedback. (Source)

Being Logical

A Guide to Good Thinking

D.Q. McInerny | 4.14

David and Goliath

Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.14

Catalina Penciu Business-wise, my goal for this year is to improve my collection and my mindset, but my favorite so far has been David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. (Source)

Robert Katai Buy Malcolm Gladwell’s book “David and Goliath” and read the interesting stories about how the Davids of that moments have defeated the Goliaths. (Source)

The Signal and the Noise

Why So Many Predictions Fail - But Some Don't

Nate Silver | 4.14

Bill Gates Anyone interested in politics may be attracted to Nate Silver’s The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—but Some Don't. Silver is the New York Times columnist who got a lot of attention last fall for predicting—accurately, as it turned out–the results of the U.S. presidential election. This book actually came out before the election, though, and it’s about predictions in many... (Source)

The End of Faith

Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason

Sam Harris | 4.13

Evan Carmichael His first book, The End of Faith, spent 33 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list. He's one of the most sought after speakers in the world. He's Sam Harris and here's my take on his Top 10 Rules for Success! #Believe #EvanCarmichael #SamHarris #entrepreneur #valueyourtime https://t.co/ZL0iUlqCOT (Source)

Dr. Andrew Weil One of the books that I have commonly given out to people. (Source)

Lies My Teacher Told Me

Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong

James W. Loewen | 4.13

Talking to Strangers

What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.13

Ryan Holiday I'll put here what I emailed Malcolm when I finished the book: "Just finished your new book in one sitting yesterday. So good. You are at the height of your powers and remain an inspiration to all of us trying to master an un-masterable profession." It's a little less practical or self-improvement oriented than his previous books, but far more thought provoking. (Source)

Nilofer Merchant An interesting analysis/ essay re Gladwell’s latest book —> https://t.co/5Ey1maNRyI (Source)

God Is Not Great

How Religion Poisons Everything

Christopher Hitchens | 4.13

Sam Harris You can get the benefit of both his voice and his writing if you listen to [this audiobook]. (Source)

Poor Charlie's Almanack

The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger

Peter D. Kaufman, Ed Wexler, Warren E. Buffett, Charles T. Munger | 4.12

Warren Buffett From 1733 to 1758, Ben Franklin dispensed useful and timeless advice through Poor Richard's Almanack. Among the virtues extolled were thrift, duty, hard work, and simplicity. Subsequently, two centuries went by during which Ben's thoughts on these subjects were regarded as the last word. Then Charlie Munger stepped forth. (Source)

Naval Ravikant I always recommend [this book] as my top business book. (Source)

Think like a Freak

The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain

Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner | 4.12

Critical Thinking Skills

Effective Analysis, Argument and Reflection

Stella Cottrell | 4.12

The Invisible Gorilla

And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us

Christopher Chabris, Daniel Simons | 4.11

Dan Ariely These guys did one of the most important pieces of research in social science, to show how little we actually see in the world around us. (Source)

The Undoing Project

A Friendship That Changed Our Minds

Michael Lewis | 4.11

Doug McMillon Here are some of my favorite reads from 2017. Lots of friends and colleagues send me book suggestions and it's impossible to squeeze them all in. I continue to be super curious about how digital and tech are enabling people to transform our lives but I try to read a good mix of books that apply to a variety of areas and stretch my thinking more broadly. (Source)

David Heinemeier Hansson Michael Lewis is just a great storyteller, and tell a story in this he does. It’s about two Israeli psychologists, their collaboration on the irrationality of the human mind, and the milestones they set with concepts like loss-aversion, endowment effect, and other common quirks that the assumption of rationality doesn’t account for. It’s a bit long-winded, but if you like Lewis’ style, you... (Source)

Francisco Perez Mackenna ​This summer, Mackenna is learning more about the birth of behavioral economics, the psychology of white collar crime, and the restoration of American cities as locations of economic growth. (Source)

The Organized Mind

Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload

Daniel J. Levitin | 4.11

David Allen Your head is not designed to remember, remind, prioritize, or manage relationships with more than four things. I’ve known this experientially for the last 35 years—that your head is for having ideas, but it’s a terrible place to hang onto them. Levitin validated that in a very rigorously researched book. (Source)

Your Guide to Effective Argument, Successful Analysis and Independent Study

Tom Chatfield | 4.11

Nigel Warburton Clearly written and accessible. Chatfield teaches a point, then asks you to test yourself to see whether you’ve learnt the moves that he’s described. It’s very wide ranging: it includes material on cognitive biases as well as more logical moves and arguments. (Source)

The Coddling of the American Mind

How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure

Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt | 4.10

Mark Manson The kids aren’t alright. No, really—I know every generation says that, but this time it’s true. Kids who grew up with smartphones (and have begun to enter the university system) are emotionally stunted, overly fragile, and exhibiting mental health issues at alarming rates. I expected this book to be another, “Let’s all shit on social media together,” party, but it’s not. Social media, of course,... (Source)

Max Levchin Highlights the need to continue to have such discussions about sensitive topics instead of ignoring them for the sake of comfort. (Source)

Glenn Beck Just finished The Coddling of the American mind by @glukianoff Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt. Insightful. Straight forward and very helpful. A book that not only correctly identifies what ails us but also gives practical steps to cure. MUST READ (Source)

Nonviolent Communication

A Language of Life

Marshall B. Rosenberg, Deepak Chopra | 4.10

Satya Nadella Upon becoming CEO, Nadella confronted Microsoft’s legendarily combative culture by urging his new reports to read this book, which preaches the power of empathy, self-awareness, and authenticity in collaboration in the workplace, at home, and beyond. Like many of his favorites, it was first recommended to him by his wife, Anu: “I’m heavily influenced by the books she reads more than the books I... (Source)

Dustin Moskovitz Seek first to understand. (Source)

Esther Perel I think that this book is a classic for anyone who is thinking relationships. (Source)

How to Make Better Decisions

Dan Heath, Chip,Heath | 4.09

Cristian-Dragos Baciu So for business related books, the one that I think had the most impact for me was Decisive: How to make better choices in life and work, by Chip & Dan Heath. [...] The reason I enjoyed their work so much is because they offer real-life stories and insights that makes it so much easier for the reader to imprint that information in his mind. (Source)

Sean Mallon It looks at what hinders great decision making, and how to improve any decisions you make. Any entrepreneur knows how crucial their decisions in business are (and how devastating indecision can be). Decisive helps the reader to understand how good decisions are made, what key elements to look for, and how to make your choices better and quicker. (Source)

Julia Galef Explains four of the biggest judgment errors [...] and gives tips for combating them. (Source)

A More Beautiful Question

The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas

Warren Berger | 4.08

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

Yuval Noah Harari | 4.08

Bill Gates Harari is such a stimulating writer that even when I disagreed, I wanted to keep reading and thinking. All three of his books wrestle with some version of the same question: What will give our lives meaning in the decades and centuries ahead? So far, human history has been driven by a desire to live longer, healthier, happier lives. If science is eventually able to give that dream to most people,... (Source)

Brajesh Kumar Singh Harari, currently, the world's best historian and future analyst, is a gay! He is a Jew and writes his books in Hebrew! Got universal acclaim for his first book Sapiens, followed by Homo Deus and now the latest, 21 lessons for the 21st century! Salute to this genius, keep it up! https://t.co/s7R6oEbwiN (Source)

Eh Bee Family @harari_yuval This book is amazing. After every chapter...I pause...then freak out...then gather myself and keep reading. (Source)

Superforecasting

The Art and Science of Prediction

Philip E. Tetlock, Dan Gardner | 4.08

Sheil Kapadia Read the book Superforecasting, had a great conversation with @bcmassey and came up with seven ideas for how NFL teams can try to find small edges during the draft process. Would love to hear feedback on this one. https://t.co/PdN1fKCagl (Source)

Julia Galef [Has] some good advice on how to improve your ability to make accurate predictions. (Source)

The Magic of Reality

How We Know What's Really True

Richard Dawkins | 4.08

Bill Gates Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, has a gift for making science enjoyable. This book is as accessible as the TV series Cosmos is for younger audiences—and as relevant for older audiences. It’s an engaging, well-illustrated science textbook offering compelling answers to big questions, like “how did the universe form?” and “what causes earthquakes?” It’s also a plea for readers of all... (Source)

Vote Dem For The Planet @EJDuboisL7444 @realDonaldTrump It’s a great book, like all Dawkins’ books. (Source)

The Shock Doctrine

The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

Naomi Klein | 4.08

George Monbiot The Shock Doctrine explains some of the mechanisms by which patrimonial capital acquires power and enhances its wealth. It’s a brilliant piece of work, and one of those rare books that changes the way you perceive the world. (Source)

Mat Whitecross It starts with the theory that moments of crisis have been utilised by the right wing in the US and other countries to manipulate people into following their agenda. (Source)

Donna Dickenson Naomi Klein’s argument is that capitalism actually requires deliberately engineered shocks to the economic systems. (Source)

Algorithms to Live By

The Computer Science of Human Decisions

Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths | 4.08

Sriram Krishnan @rabois @nealkhosla Yes! Love that book (Source)

Chris Oliver This is a great book talking about how you can use computer science to help you make decisions in life. How do you know when to make a decision on the perfect house? Car? etc? It helps you apply algorithms to making those decisions optimally without getting lost. (Source)

Judgment Under Uncertainty

Heuristics and biases.

Daniel Kahneman | 4.07

Jonah Lehrer This is one of the most influential books in modern economics. (Source)

Adam Robinson This study should be taught at every business school in the country. (Source)

The Blind Watchmaker

Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design

Richard Dawkins | 4.06

James Randi They talk about the blind watchmaker not being able to make a watch, but if you’re given an almost infinite number of combinations and permutations of materials and situations, the world will come about. Or it may not. In our case, it came about. You’re here, I’m here, and I’m very happy about that. (Source)

Jerry Coyne If I had to pick just one self-contained book that lays out Dawkins’s philosophy and methodology, and shows his literary skills, I would have to pick this one. (Source)

Tom Clarke Dawkins brought Darwin up to date, explaining evolution in a way that incorporates our understanding of genetics and heredity. (Source)

This Will Make You Smarter

New Scientific Concepts to Improve Your Thinking

John Brockman | 4.06

Think Smarter

Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills

Michael Kallet | 4.06

The Believing Brain

From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths

MICHAEL SHERMER | 4.05

The Shallows

What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains

Nicholas Carr | 4.05

Juliette Aristides Nicholas Carr talks at length about what is gained and lost by technological progress. Reading and writing enlarged people’s sympathetic response and enriched their lives even when the book was put aside. One could say the same thing about drawing. (Source)

Andra Zaharia While I was thinking of the best books to add to this short list, I realized that not even half of them are directly related to digital marketing. This is because I believe that the best marketers are people who understand human nature deeply and aim to bring out the best in it. Call me naive, but that’s how I see it. If I were to want to pursue a career in marketing, I’d read [...] The Shallows. (Source)

How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients

Ben Goldacre | 4.04

Tools for Smart Thinking

Richard Nisbett | 4.04

The Drunkard's Walk

How Randomness Rules Our Lives

Leonard Mlodinow | 4.03

David Spiegelhalter This is a general introduction to the history of probability and the way it comes into everyday life. It intersperses the historical development with modern applications, and looks at finance, sport, gambling, lotteries and coincidences. (Source)

Gabriel Coarna Leonard Mlodinow's "The Drunkarkd's Walk" -more precisely, the section on the "Monty Hall" problem- totally changed how I look-at/think-about probabilities and choices in general; this has impacted almost every real-life choice I've made since I read this book. (Source)

Don't Believe Everything You Think

The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking

Thomas E. Kida | 4.03

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.03

Sam Freedman @mrianleslie (Also I agree What the Dog Saw is his best book). (Source)

Merchants of Doubt

How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming

Erik M Conway | 4.03

Elon Musk I recommend people read a book called Merchants of Doubt. All they need to do is create doubt. (Source)

Trick or Treatment

The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine

Edzard Ernst, Simon Singh | 4.03

Jennifer Gunter @EdzardErnst @SLSingh Fantastic book. Really. Thank you for writing it!! (Source)

Stephen Law I really like this book. It’s a modern classic of the sceptic movement. Simon Singh is an excellent science writer. Edzard Ernst is the world’s first professor of complementary medicine. Well he was, Ernst is retired now. He started out convinced that there was some truth to the claims made by homeopathy and some other alternative practices. He was trained as a homeopath and he was a practising... (Source)

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

Thomas S. Kuhn and Ian Hacking | 4.02

Mark Zuckerberg It's a history of science book that explores the question of whether science and technology make consistent forward progress or whether progress comes in bursts related to other social forces. I tend to think that science is a consistent force for good in the world. I think we'd all be better off if we invested more in science and acted on the results of research. I'm excited to explore this... (Source)

Tim O'Reilly The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn. Kuhn introduced the term "paradigm shift" to describe the changeover from Ptolemaic to Copernican astronomy. But the book is far more than a classic in the history of science. It's also a book that emphasizes how what we already believe shapes what we see, what we allow ourselves to think. I've always tried to separate seeing itself from... (Source)

Andra Zaharia I’ve gone through quite a few experiences brought on or shaped by what I’ve learned from books. A particularly unexpected one happened in college when our public relations teacher asked us to read a book called The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn. As a humanities student, you can imagine that I wasn’t thrilled I’d have to read a book on science, but what followed blew my mind... (Source)

The Art of Reasoning

An Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking

David Kelley | 4.02

How to Change Your Mind

What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence

POLLAN MICHAE | 4.02

Daniel Goleman Michael Pollan masterfully guides us through the highs, lows, and highs again of psychedelic drugs. How to Change Your mind chronicles how it’s been a longer and stranger trip than most any of us knew. (Source)

Yuval Noah Harari Changed my mind, or at least some of the ideas held in my mind. (Source)

David Heinemeier Hansson How we get locked into viewing the world, ourselves, and each other in a certain way, and then finding it difficult to relate to alternative perspectives or seeing other angles. Studying philosophy, psychology, and sociology is a way to break those rigid frames we all build over time. But that’s still all happening at a pretty high level of perception. Mind altering drugs, and especially... (Source)

Seeing Like a State

How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed

Professor James C. Scott | 4.02

Marvin Liao I tend to jump from book to book and may switch if I am interested in some new topic. This is a pleasure for me (which I also do benefit work wise from too). It’s quite a random list because I have eclectic interests (or just scatterbrained most likely) on tech business, AI, general global economy, geopolitics, rising Biotech economy & history. I'm basically 15% to 50% into all these books. (Source)

Venkatesh Rao Scott’s book is very important for anybody who wants to have an understanding of how complex modern societies work, why things seem to fail predictably, and what you can do about them, to a limited extent. (Source)

Clare Lockhart Seeing Like A State. He’s quite similar to Dewey in a way. He also sees the state as only a mechanism. But he thinks that the way that the state chooses to count, or the way it chooses to see, will inform how it behaves and what kind of animal it becomes. Scott explains, for example, how in France, in early modern times, the state decided to count two things. It decided to count how much salt... (Source)

Wait, What?

And Life's Other Essential Questions

James E. Ryan and HarperAudi | 4.02

The Greatest Show on Earth

The Evidence for Evolution

Richard Dawkins, Well-illustrated | 4.02

The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment

Thomas Gilovich, Dale Griffin, Daniel Kahneman | 4.02

Matthew Syed This is another really good set of essays in a rapidly growing branch of intellectual enquiry called behavioural economics where they look at the irrationalities in the way that humans behave. I thought this was brilliant. One essay in particular on irrational optimism caught my eye. It’s the idea that individuals who have slightly inflated expectations of their own abilities tend to persevere... (Source)

The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking

Concepts and Tools

Richard Paul, Linda Elder | 4.02

This miniature guide, which has sold more than half a million copies, is widely used in teach and learning, in personal and professional life. It distills the essence of critical thinking into a 23-page, pocket-sized guide. It introduces the interrelated complex of critical thinking concepts and principles implicit in the works of Richard Paul and Linda Elder. This guide is widely used at the college level. It can be used as a critical thinking supplement to any textbook or course.

Being Wrong

Adventures in the Margin of Error

Kathryn Schulz | 4.02

Peter Attia One of the books that considers to be an important read for people interested in his career path. (Source)

Fabrice Grinda I have lots of books to recommend, but they are not related to my career path. The only one that is remotely related is Peter Thiel’s Zero to One. That said here are books I would recommend. (Source)

The Portable Atheist

Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

Christopher Hitchens | 4.02

Thinking in Bets

Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts

Annie Duke | 4.01

Charles Duhigg Through wonderful storytelling and sly wit, Annie Duke has crafted the ultimate guide to thinking about risk. We can all learn how to make better decisions by learning from someone who made choices for a living, with millions on the line. (Source)

Marc Andreessen Compact guide to probabilistic domains like poker, or venture capital. Best articulation of "resulting", drawing bad conclusions from confusing process and outcome. Recommend for people operating in the real world. (Source)

Seth Godin Brilliant. Buy ten copies and give one to everyone you work with. It's that good. (Source)

Thank You for Arguing

What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion

Jay Heinrichs | 4.01

Angela Pham The attendees in the altMBA program actually influenced me the most in my book purchases: Robin Flaherty persuaded me to buy Thank You For Arguing. (Source)

Teaching Critical Thinking

Practical Wisdom

bell hooks | 4.01

Letter to a Christian Nation

Sam Harris | 4.01

Finite and Infinite Games a Vision of Life as Play and Possibility

James P. Carse | 4.01

Jane McGonigal It’s basically a book about games, but then it turns out it’s about the meaning of life. (Source)

Tom Critchlow @fkpxls Also it made me think of analogies to finite and infinite games. Have you read that book? If not you might enjoy it! (Source)

Kevin Kelly Gave me a mathematical framework for my own spirituality. (Source)

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

Charles MacKay | 4.01

Jonah Lehrer A wonderful eclectic history of mass human irrationality, and a great history of financial bubbles. (Source)

Tom Joseph "Do you know who I am"- Trump cries a/b his status, Iran & Obama are panic b4 his bubble pops Mania's will end in panic as noted in a favorite book: Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay. Not a plug-written in 1841 Trumpmania is now Trumpanic https://t.co/WnVGJ8Hung (Source)

John Gapper It’s a very patchy book, but it leads off with three classic financial booms and busts – tulip mania in Holland, the Mississippi scheme in 18th century France, and the South Sea Bubble. MacKay was a journalist with a fine tabloid style, and he writes it all up very entertainingly. He gets the eyewitness quotes and he finds the human foibles. (Source)

Skin in the Game

Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life

Nassim Nicholas Taleb | 4.01

Ben Horowitz A book about the dynamics of how large-scale, highly random systems behave. (Source)

Marc Andreessen Skin in the game as conflict of interest, or as attaching one's livelihood to one's speech? Who to listen to, and why. Ideal counterpart to Philip Tetlock's Expert Political Judgment. (Source)

Daniel Kahneman Changed my view of how the world works. (Source)

Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions

James Randi, Isaac Asimov | 4.01

Richard Wiseman This book had a huge impact on me when I first came across it, because it was the first time I’d seen a whole volume which wasn’t taking any nonsense. (Source)

Why Evolution Is True

Jerry A. Coyne | 4.01

An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments

Ali Almossawi, Alejandro Giraldo | 4.00

Beyond Feelings

Vincent Ruggiero | 4.00

The Power of the Socratic Classroom

Students. Questions. Dialogue. Learning.

Charles Ames Fischer | 4.00

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14 Of The Best Critical Thinking Books That Come Packed With Examples

Anthony Metivier | December 12, 2022 | Thinking

Podcast: Download

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However, few of them come packed with examples.

Even fewer come with exercises. 

Examples and exercises are important because critical thinking is not just something you learn. 

It’s something you develop through practical application. 

Here’s another problem that might be frustrating you if you’re looking for the best critical thinking books:

A lot of them are either irrelevant, “dumbed-down” for the mass market, or already abandoned by their authors.

For example, the famous Thinking, Fast and Slow on just about every list has big problems. 

Its author, Daniel Khaneman has agreed that several entire chapters need to be removed in a future edition. 

The reproducibility problem. Many of the studies he refers to weren’t scientifically valid. 

But critical thinking is based on reproducible models.

So on this page, let’s dig into a comprehensive list of critical thinking books that won’t go out of date.

The 14 Best Critical Thinking Books Packed With Examples For Improving Your Mind

As you go through these examples, consider your specific goals.

As you’ll see, each of these examples are related, but each has different strengths. 

You’ll want to beef up on each of these areas, but as you gather your collection, I suggest you start with where you currently feel you need the most help. 

One: Scientific Critical Thinking

In Critical Thinking for Better Learning: New Insights from Cognitive Science , Carole Hamilton helps you understand how the brain creates categories in the mind. 

Knowledge of how your mind works helps you tap into how your memory deals with examples and analogies that can improve your thinking skills.

Some of the best parts of this book teach you:

• How to study topics thoroughly so that you can think critically about them.
• How to develop creative analogies so you can see the “shape” and dynamics of larger topics. 
• Threshold concepts, which are “the central, defining truths in a given discipline, the ideas that open a gateway to deeper understanding.”
• Why some ideas are obvious to certain people but take others a long time to learn.

As an example of how this book helped me, when I was working on my Art of Memory project, it reminded me to read both the historical summary and also the specific books about memory during that period. This is what Hamilton means by knowing the “shape” of a topic.

Other great aspects of this book include its points on:

• How beliefs can distort facts
• Who really benefits and who suffered from environmental damage in the world
• The concept of opportunity cost
• How to assess critical thinking

It gives examples of each and concludes strong with its best tip: 

Study real problems and how they were solved, and then recall these frequently to test your memory for accuracy about the details. 

Two: A Jargon Free Toolkit

Critical thinking often involves a lot of complex terminology. You have to learn about antecedents in logic and the concept of paraconsistencies .

But if you’re just beginning and don’t have a Memory Palace , such terms can be hard to learn and remember. 

Enter The Critical Thinking Toolkit .

This book provides a wonderful introduction with examples from:

• Political science

Three: How To Think About Arguments

We all get into arguments.

That’s not a problem, but the ways we use language while arguing often causes more problems than necessary. 

Enter The Uses of Argument by Stephen E. Toulmin.

But in this excellent book, Toulmin shows you:

• What it means to make a valid argument
• How to lay out valid arguments
• The difference between working logic and idealised logic
• How that validity must be intra-field, not inter-field (so that you approach critical thinking comparatively)

It boils down to this:

Arguments have patterns and we can learn to perceive those patterns. 

One pro tip in this book is to find ways to see logic and critical thinking as historical. 

When you know how logic has changed over time, you’re able to note the patterns that shape how we communicate and use them better. 

That’s just one benefit. Here are 11 more benefits of critical thinking you can expect after reading the books on this page.

Four: Validity In Your Thinking

I’ll never forget hearing The Amazing Kreskin discuss hypnosis. He said:

“Hypnosis is nothing more than the acceptance of a suggestion.”

If you don’t have much time to learn how this is happening to you, I suggest Critical Thinking : A Concise Guide by Tracy Bowell and Gary Kemp.

This book’s strength is how it helps you determine whether an argument is valid. 

To do so, the authors teach you the connection between critical thinking and symbolic logic, informal logic and formal logic.

You also learn how to determine which parts of an argument are relevant. You get real world examples with detailed commentary on each.

A v Hoare is one of my favorite examples. In it, you learn about how the amount of detail shapes our perceptions. You also learn how to determine what information is valuable to properly assess the context and shape of an argument.

Five: How To Stop Thinking Against Yourself

I used to think very darkly. 

Little did I know that I was using my thoughts against myself, practically making it impossible to see opportunities.

Then I discovered The Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman.

This book not only goes through numerous examples of how people use cynical thinking against themselves. It also gives powerful exercises that help your critical thinking skills see opportunities your own thinking patterns might be hiding from you.

Six: Understanding Your Personality

That’s why I recommend Stuart Hanscomb’s Critical Thinking: The Basics .

Looking at your personal dispositions can help you avoid many of the problems created by emotions and cognitive biases . 

You may even want to go further by looking into the OCEAN model to help better understand how your personality might help or hinder your thinking abilities.

Either way, Hanscomb’s book is great. Pay extra attention to the final chapter. It’s pack with additional examples of fallacies you’ll want to avoid. 

Seven: Simple, But Not “Dumbed Down”

Crit ical Thinking Skills For Dummies , like many books in the “dummies” series is actually quite valuable.

Its biggest strengths are: 

• Strong examples of false dichotomies
• How to avoid logical pitfalls
• Examples of key arguments

Pay special attention to the final chapter and its list of “arguments that changed the world.” These are interesting and useful case studies. 

Eight: Thinking On Autopilot

One of the most challenging critical thinking examples to work through involves the topic of free will.

My favorite book on the topic is also one of the most hotly contested. 

But it’s the examples in Free Will by Sam Harris that really bring it all together.

And although Daniel Dennet strongly disagrees with its thesis, going through the for and against will give your thinking abilities a stretch.

Without a doubt, contending with the issue of free will is one of the best ways you can practice critical thinking. It will also give you a better understanding of human consciousness too. 

Nine: The Humpty Dumpty Of Thought

As the cohost of Philosophy Bites , a fantastic philosophy podcast, Warburton has packed this book with excellent critical thinking tools to up your game.

Some of my favorites include:

Weasel Words

“Advertisers who declare the food they are selling to be a ‘healthier alternative’ need to specify precisely what the food is healthier than and why. If they cannot do this, then the weasel words ‘healthier alternative’ are meaningless – mere rhetoric”

Humptydumptying

Giving private meanings to words in common use

‘When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty answers, in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’

Ten: The Power of Analysis

This book proves a number of self assessment activities, including several sub-skills, such as identifying similarities and differences.

It also includes material on:

• Note taking in a critical manner
• Critical writing
• Reflective thinking tips as a mental discipline
• Multiple models of reflective thinking
• Bonus practice activities

If you do any kind of reading and writing, this book is a must. 

Eleven: Improve Your Research Skills

If you do anything involved in research, you know just how difficult interpreting data accurately can be. 

In this book, you’ll learn all about:

• How to seek trustworthy knowledge
• How to understand the role of hypothetical questions
• How samples are chosen and validated
• Aspects that threaten the validity of a research project
• The role of ethics in research
• Examples of multiple studies in different fields of interest

There are a large number of practice articles too. These will help you better engage with scientific reporting you encounter in the media. 

Twelve: Avoiding Errors

If you’re like me, you probably prefer to avoid mistakes whenever possible. 

This book exposes the many poor thinking habits we have. Here are just a few the book covers and then repairs:

• Being in a hurry
• Missing a deadline
• Faulty cost analyses
• Failing to ask for help

I’ve personally found this book helpful, especially when dealing with customers and personal coaching clients. It’s great to be able to ascertain what errors people are making and help guide them to more logical conclusions.

Anyone can do this for themselves too. Read this book. 

Thirteen: Know Your Science

The lack of scientific literacy in society is a huge problem. 

That’s why I recommend Science, Pseudo-science, Non-sense, and Critical Thinking: Why the Differences Matter .

In this book by Marianna Barr and Gershon Ben-Shakhar, you get detailed chapters that use critical thinking to debunk:

• Cold reading

Another thing that makes this critical thinking book unique is that it includes:

• Correspondence with Houdini
• Good movie and literature examples
• Excellent lists of books to follow-up on with for further information about each pseudoscientific topic

I also like how the book discusses the reasons why people need to believe – or at least think they do.

Fourteen: An Ancient Critical Thinking Book

Basically, this term translates to a statement like: “the culmination of the Vedas is ‘not two’”.

In other words, the philosophy works to demonstrate a “oneness” in human consciousness. 

One of the most interesting books uses critical thinking to demonstrate this principle. It is called Panchadasi .

My favorite commentary on this text, which includes a translation, is Inquiry Into Existence , by James Swartz.

This philosophy will probably stretch your mind.

The trick is not to mistake its conclusions for solipsism, which is arguably nonsense . It’s really just a way of thinking through the situation we all find ourselves in as the bearers of consciousness. 

Crafting A Library Of Critical Thinking Books

I hope you enjoyed checking out this list of books on critical thinking. Please let me know which ones you check out and how you helpful you found them. 

There are many more out there, and keep in mind that you can find texts that will help you improve many types of thinking . 

The important thing is to have a library that you continually build and read thoroughly. 

And to get it all in, I recommend that you check out how to read faster next.

Need help with remembering what you read from these books? Check out my free memory improvement course:

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Last modified: December 12, 2022

About the Author / Anthony Metivier

6 Responses to " 14 Of The Best Critical Thinking Books That Come Packed With Examples "

Always a pleasure Anthony to read your ideas and thoughts!

Thanks so much for stopping by to give it a look, Raymond.

Anything new with your memory and learning journey lately?

Your lessons always help me. It’s really useful for every student.

Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know!

As always, you provide great material for self-empowerment

Thanks so much for giving it a read. It is an honor and a pleasure to do this work and I appreciate your support very much!

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8 Best Books on Critical Thinking for a Successful Career – Tools to Transform Your Mindset

Critical thinking isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a powerful skillset that can empower you to excel in your career. By developing your critical thinking muscles, you become a more valuable employee, capable of tackling challenges with greater confidence and agility.

But how does one cultivate such skills? The answer lies in learning from experts through their insightful writings. In this article, we explore five groundbreaking books on critical thinking.

1. “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman , a Nobel laureate, introduces the dual-process theory in “ Thinking, Fast and Slow ,” dividing thought processes into intuitive (System 1) and analytical (System 2) thinking.

System 1 is fast and emotional, leading to quick conclusions, while System 2 is slower, more logical, and methodical. Understanding these systems is crucial for distinguishing between situations that require quick decisions and those that benefit from a more deliberate approach.

How to Improve Decision-Making in the Workplace?

Kahneman provides practical insights into how these thought processes affect decision-making and judgment in professional settings. He illustrates how to identify and overcome cognitive biases and logical fallacies.

These insights help professionals to make more informed decisions, fostering a thoughtful and effective work environment.

2. “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling

Hans Rosling ‘s “Factfulness” champions the use of data to accurately understand the world. He argues that many people’s worldviews are based on misconceptions, advocating for a fact-based perspective.

Rosling’s emphasis on data literacy is crucial for questioning assumptions and overcoming biases, particularly relevant in today’s data-driven professional environments.

Importance of Data Literacy in Professional Decision Making

“ Factfulness ” is a guide for professionals to navigate a world inundated with data. Rosling demonstrates how accurate data interpretation leads to better business and policy decisions. This approach promotes adaptability and forward-thinking, essential traits for career advancement.

3. “The Skeptic’s Guide to the Future” by Steven Novella

Steven Novella, in “The Skeptic’s Guide to the Future,” advocates for skepticism as a tool for evaluating emerging trends and technologies. He teaches readers to balance optimism about the future with critical questioning, helping professionals avoid the pitfalls of uncritically following trends or investing in unproven technologies.

Definition of Skepticism in Strategic Planning

Novella’s approach is crucial for strategic planning  and innovation. He guides professionals on how to critically assess new ideas and technologies, leading to more sustainable and successful innovations. This skepticism is key to maintaining a competitive edge in any industry.

4. “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely

In “Predictably Irrational,”  Dan Ariely  explores how irrational behaviors often influence our decision-making. He uses experiments to show how emotions and social norms can lead to irrational choices. For professionals, understanding these patterns is vital for making more objective decisions.

Rational Decision-Making in Negotiation and Leadership

Ariely’s insights are particularly relevant for enhancing negotiation and leadership skills. By recognizing and mitigating irrational tendencies, professionals can negotiate more effectively and lead teams with a balanced, rational approach.

5. “Think Again” by Adam M. Grant

Adam M. Grant’s “Think Again” delves into the  importance of rethinking and questioning  one’s long-held beliefs. Grant argues that the ability to rethink and reassess information is crucial for growth and adaptability in both personal and professional life.

He encourages embracing the joy of being wrong and the necessity of questioning even the most fundamental beliefs to foster continuous learning and improvement.

Adaptability and Innovation

In a professional context, Grant’s principles are transformative. He highlights how adaptability, born out of the willingness to reconsider one’s views, is essential in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Grant demonstrates that professionals who regularly challenge their own ideas can drive innovation and stay ahead in their careers. This mindset not only leads to personal growth but also cultivates a culture of open-mindedness and progressive thinking in the workplace.

6. “Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life” by Richard Paul and Linda Elder

Richard Paul and Linda Elder ‘s book provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the principles of critical thinking. The authors present critical thinking as a set of tools for taking charge of one’s professional and personal life, emphasizing the importance of questioning assumptions and evaluating evidence.

They provide a framework for identifying and challenging biases, leading to more effective decision-making.

Application in Everyday Professional Scenarios

This book is particularly useful for professionals seeking to apply critical thinking skills in everyday work scenarios. Paul and Elder offer practical strategies for enhancing critical analysis and problem-solving skills, which are essential for navigating complex workplace situations.

Readers will learn how to apply these tools in real-world contexts, leading to better judgment and more strategic thinking.

7. “The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking” by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird

Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird’s “The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking” presents a novel approach to developing thinking skills. The authors break down  effective thinking into five essential elements : understanding deeply, failing in order to succeed, raising questions, seeing the flow of ideas, and changing one’s perspective.

Practical Tools for Career Growth

Each element offers practical tools for career growth. The book encourages embracing failure as a learning opportunity and continuously questioning to deepen understanding.

It provides insights into how shifting perspectives can lead to innovative solutions, making it an invaluable resource for professionals who aim to enhance their cognitive abilities and advance in their careers.

8. “Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction” by Philip E. Tetlock and Dan Gardner

The book begins by challenging the common perception that accurate forecasting is the domain of a few gifted individuals. Instead, Tetlock and Gardner argue that superforecasting is a skill that can be cultivated through practice and a systematic approach.

They present a fascinating study conducted by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), which found that some ordinary people could predict global events with astonishing accuracy.

Cultivating the Superforecaster Mindset

Superforecasting  is not just about being knowledgeable; it’s about thinking critically, being open to new information, and updating beliefs as new data comes in.

The authors provide a detailed analysis of the thought processes and behaviors that distinguish superforecasters from the average person. They emphasize the importance of intellectual humility, curiosity, and the willingness to admit mistakes and learn from them.

While it can help professionals, even students may face some benefits from reading it. For example, it can help them to  cope with stress . One of the most intriguing aspects of the book is its practical application.

The authors do not just describe what superforecasting is; they also offer guidance on how to develop these skills. They outline specific practices, such as breaking down complex problems into manageable parts, seeking out diverse perspectives, and balancing inside and outside views.

How can “Thinking, Fast and Slow” help in conflict resolution at work?

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” provides insights into how our quick (System 1) and slow (System 2) thinking processes can affect conflict resolution. Understanding these systems helps identify when emotional reactions (System 1) might escalate conflict and when a more analytical approach (System 2) is needed to resolve issues thoughtfully and effectively.

How can I improve my IQ and critical thinking?

Improving IQ involves engaging in activities that challenge your brain, like puzzles, learning new skills, or intellectually stimulating tasks. For critical thinking, practice analyzing situations from multiple perspectives and questioning assumptions.

Do books help with critical thinking?

Yes, reading books, especially those on subjects like logic, philosophy, and problem-solving, can significantly enhance critical thinking skills. They provide new perspectives and frameworks for analyzing information and making decisions.

Can you train critical thinking?

Absolutely, critical thinking can be trained and improved by regularly engaging in activities that require analysis, evaluation, and strategic thinking. Participating in debates, solving complex problems, and reflecting on decision-making processes are effective ways to sharpen these skills.

Remember, the key to mastering critical thinking lies not just in acquiring knowledge, but in the willingness to question, analyze, and adapt one’s thinking in an ever-evolving world.

This mindset is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth, leading to greater success and fulfillment in various aspects of life.

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5 of the Best Books on Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

Critical Thinking: Hypothesis-Driven Thinking

Anyone can come up with a good idea. The real challenge is putting that idea into action. In this online course, explore how to form compelling, testable hypotheses and bring ideas to life in your own organization.

Critical Thinking: Structured Reasoning

Even a few simple techniques for logical decision making and persuasion can vastly improve your skills as a leader. Explore how critical thinking can help you evaluate complex business problems, reduce bias, and devise effective solutions.

Critical Thinking: Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is a central business skill, and yet it's the one many people struggle with most. This course will show you how to apply critical thinking techniques to common business examples, avoid misunderstandings, and get at the root of any problem.

Critical thinking is an essential skill to master whether you aspire to compete in the fast-paced startup space or just improve your daily workflow. But no one is born a master problem solver. Like any other skill, you’ll need to study and practice.

When it comes to self-study, all the Wikipedia articles and Quora questions in the world can’t replace a good book. We asked GLOBIS faculty members to weigh in on the books that helped them step-up their critical thinking game.

Decipher the Data

The signal and the noise: why so many predictions fail—but some don’t , by nate silver.

Do you ever feel so lost in data that you forget what you’re looking for in the first place? Do you find it difficult to parse the important details from large sets of data? Nate Silver’s The Signal and the Noise will help you sift through the numbers and find what’s most useful for your purposes.

In the GLOBIS Critical Thinking course , we teach that the most important step of the problem-solving process is identifying the issue. After that, you’ll need to break down the issue into a set of points (like criteria). Finally, you search for data to support or change these points.

The Signal and the Noise applies this process to the realm of predictions in the age of Big Data.

Ultimately, Silver cautions against overconfidence in predictions, ranging from the stock market to sports and politics, and the importance of assessing the level of certainty in your findings. He also points to the often-hidden assumptions in data—another important lesson you’ll find in GLOBIS’s Critical Thinking class. What makes this book exciting is the way it explores current issues in a quantitative way, challenging what we thought to be true and the prediction process behind it. Aside from that, there are many other tips and tricks to improve your problem-solving and data analysis skills.

While I can’t claim to make many predictions, if you’re looking to hone your critical thinking skills, I can say with confidence that you’ll enjoy this book!

—Brian Cathcart, Critical Thinking Faculty at GLOBIS University

Think about the Way You Think

Thinking, fast and slow , by daniel kahneman.

What if you found out you had a disease with a 10% mortality rate? Would it be worse than a disease with a 90% survival rate? In fact, your chances of making it through are precisely the same, but somehow, we tend to respond more positively to the latter scenario.

This is an example of the framing effect , one of many biases and heuristics introduced in Daniel Kahneman’s bestseller Thinking, Fast and Slow . Kahneman, a Nobel laureate, presents decades of fascinating insights into our not-so-rational minds. He elegantly summarizes our thinking into two processes: System 1 and System 2.

System 1 is effortless and instantaneous, handling thoughts like 2+2=4. It is our autopilot that guides us through most of the day, allowing us to simultaneously manage complex tasks like driving a car while chatting with the passenger about the morning news.

System 2, on the other hand, is a process that we have to manually switch on to tackle something more mentally challenging. System 1 can handle 2+2 instantly, but System 2 needs to kick in for us to work out 27×18.

Kahneman’s mind-blowing research and simple tests show us just how laughably irrational System 1 can be. It is a powerful reminder of why it’s worth questioning our own judgment.

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Fooled by Randomness , by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Fooled by Randomness offers a narrower, but still powerful illustration of how the flaws of our thinking habits skew our worldview. In a precursor to his bestseller The Black Swan , Nassim Taleb focuses on the role of randomness in our lives, and how underestimating this randomness can have potentially serious consequences.

In business, it’s generally unpopular to ascribe results to luck. Countless books and articles seek to explain the genius behind the success of certain companies and businesspeople. And when results go sour, people point to poor decisions that should have been avoided.

Compelling as it may be, this storytelling misleads us into believing that we control much more than we do. Taleb argues that luck, in fact, plays a large role in any success, and smart decisions can lead to poor outcomes (hard as it may be to convince your boss or shareholders).

Taleb’s tone throughout the book is often cynical and scathing, and he is clearly not a fan of MBAs. But his message is still important for any businessperson who wants to keep their feet on the ground. As I often tell MBA students in my Critical Thinking course, even the most thorough analysis and planning cannot guarantee success. However, critical thinking can help us reduce the role of luck in our decision-making. Ultimately, that will increase our odds of success.

—Jake Pratley, Critical Thinking Faculty at GLOBIS University

Learn from Those Who Came Before You

Problem solving 101 , by ken watanabe.

The Japanese bestseller Problem Solving 101 is quite easy to read, since it’s targeted towards an elementary school level. Don’t let that deter you, though—the content itself covers practical elements in business, from diagnosing the situation to identifying root causes and decision-making.

During these uncertain times, it’s getting harder and harder to make confident decisions. We tend to rely on our past experiences and knowledge rather than asses the issues at hand. But if you face unprecedented events, you’ll require the right skills to identify problems and develop the right solutions to solve them. This book will help you acquire these skills.

Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production , by Taiichi Ohno

Taiichi Ohno built the foundation of the famous Toyota Production System (TPS). This book dives into the background, history, and philosophy of the concepts utilized in this system, including kaizen , jido-ka , and kanban.

For example, although Toyota changed its zero-inventory policy specifically to deal with shortages of semiconductors, TPS can help improve productivity with limited resources in any industry.

This book also shows us the importance of Toyota’s philosophy—which is what really drives the popularity of TPS worldwide. Many organizations have introduced TPS into their everyday operations, but most fail to utilize the robust philosophy of the system to its full potential.

Ohno’s book may be a bit old, but its indisputable influence on the business world means it’s still more than worth reading now.

—Takashi Tsutsumi, Critical Thinking Faculty at GLOBIS University

Turn the Page on Your Critical Thinking Journey

Understanding critical thinking and problem-solving means a lot more than being the best brainstormer at the pitch meeting. It also means you can identify obstacles, overcome them, and consider the best decisions for yourself and those around you.

Ultimately, if you’re learning how to be a critical thinker, you’re also learning how to become an independent and decisive decision maker. Like a beautiful logic tree , you’ll need to nourish your mind in order to grow. A good read is a great way to get started.

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What are the Top 20 Best Critical Thinking Books?

There are many great books on critical thinking, including but not limited to Thinknetic’s “The Habit of Critical Thinking,” Rebecca Stobaugh’s “50 Strategies to Boost Cognitive Engagement,” and Jonathan Haber’s “Critical Thinking: Part of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge.” 

With all the books on critical thinking available, how do you best determine which you should read? The rest of this article will break down the top 20 books on critical thinking followed by the Amazon link and a short description of each.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to objectively analyze and evaluate an issue in order to form judgment, which is vital in today’s world. While critical thinking begins in early childhood and is taught at the primary and secondary education levels, it is always best to keep your critical thinking skills sharp.

Why is Critical Thinking Important?

Communication is key to healthy relationships and communities. Critical thinking enables individuals to express their thoughts, ideas, and beliefs in constructive ways. In relationships, critical thinking is vital to avoid frustration and miscommunication.

Critical thinking fosters creativity and out of the box thinking, which can be applied to any area of life. People are usually introduced to critical thinking in early childhood when, as infants and toddlers, we explore our world and its limits. Our first problem solving skills come in our earliest years.

However, critical thinking doesn’t always come so naturally. Fortunately, there are countless resources to improving our critical thinking skills – including the following books mentioned in this article.

The Top 20 Books on Critical Thinking

The following books can all be found on Amazon.com, and a link is provided for each.

1.) Critical Thinking ; Logic Mastery (Series by Thinknetic)

The first entry on our list is actually a series of 5 books by Thinknetic.net . Each of the five books contain essential critical thinking skills and teach the reader how to change their way of thinking and apply critical thinking to every aspect of their lives. The five books in the series are as follows:

• Critical Thinking in a Nutshell
• The Critical Thinking Effect
• Conquer Logical Fallacies
• The Habit of Critical Thinking
• The Socratic Way of Questioning

Most of these books are available on Kindle Unlimited. You can purchase them individually or as a set.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/360UA40

2.) Critical Thinking and the Analytical Mind by Marcus P. Dawson

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3LUuqyS

This book teaches the reader the art of making decisions and solving problems while thinking clearly and avoiding cognitive biases and fallacies in systems.

3.) Critical Thinking: The 12 Rules for Intelligent Thinking by Jason Dyer

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3jDVk2h

The description of this book includes skills to improve your problem solving and decision-making skills. It also contains valuable information on how to overcome shyness and social anxiety – conditions that hinder many people in both personal and professional capacities – and increase self-confidence.

4.) 50 Strategies to Boost Cognitive Engagement by Rebecca Stobaugh

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3OaDYbl

This valuable book for teachers of any grade level – from elementary to college – helps build a culture of thinking that transforms any classroom into an environment of active learning and student engagement.

5.) Critical Thinking: The MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series by Jonathan Haber

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3ji6329

In this essential book, Jonathan Haber explains critical thinking, how the term first emerged in society, its definition, and how to teach and assess critical thinking skills.

6.) The Critical Thinking Toolkit by Galen A. Foresman, Peter S. Fosl, and Jamie C. Watson

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3vcISMi

This comprehensive book takes a wide view with critical thinking perspectives in psychology, sociology, philosophy, and political science. It applies critical thinking to subjects such as race and gender, symbols in rhetoric, and cognitive biases.

7.) Critical Thinking: A Beginner’s Guide to Developing Reasoning Skills by Morris Cullen

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3DX6t7w

A great resource for those still unfamiliar with the concept of critical thinking, this book will help the reader conquer feeble thought patterns and utilize reason.

8.) Critical Thinking Beginner’s Guide: Learn How Reasoning by Logic Improves Effective Problem Solving by Carl Patterson

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3rAJevd 

This book contains the tools to think smarter and level up intuition to reach your potential and grow your mindfulness.

9.) Thinking Guide for Busy People by Harvey Smart

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3JsjzdU 

This book helps the reader avoid the most common but subtle decision-making mistakes and make better decisions.

10.) Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

This New York Times Bestseller won the Nobel Prize in Economics.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3Ob1RQ3

11.) Overthinking is NOT the Solution by Robert J. Charles

This book lists 25 ways to reduce stress, eliminate negative thinking, develop mental clarity and master your emotions.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3LOsKHm

12.) Communication Skills Training by Ian Tuhovsky

This practical guide outlines how to improve social intelligence, presentation, persuasion, and public speaking. An Amazon bestseller.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3LQu64d

13.) Self-Discipline: How to Build Mental Toughness and Focus to Achieve your Goals by John Winters

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3NSLIhX

A great book for those who don’t feel in control of their lives and want to change their path.

14.) Critical Thinking Mastery by Carl Patterson

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3xnnBlo

A beginner’s guide to increase intuition, improve communication, and solve problems.

15.) Master Your Emotions by Thibaut Meurisse

This book is described as a practical guide to overcoming negativity and better managing your emotions.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3DX424Q

16.) Rethinking How We Think by Charles M. Johnston, MD

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3LQvfZz

This book details the integrative meta-perspective and the cognitive growing up on which our future depends.

17.) Critical Thinking by Brooke Noel Moore and Richard Parker

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/36ZTy8Y

This textbook helps build the ability to discern between subjective opinions and judgments and objective facts in the era of “fake news.”

18.) Critical Thinking in Psychology, edited by Robert J. Sternberg

Amazon Link : https://amzn.to/3upkK9R

This textbook is a guide for psychology students to think critically about key topics such as experimental research, statistical analysis, and ethical judgments.

19.) Thinking in Systems and Mental Models by Marcus P. Dawson

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3Kv2JMQ

A guide for decision making and problem solving, this book introduces chaos theory and the science of thinking for social change.

20.) Critical Thinking by Tom Chatfield

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3v4GIOr

This valuable resource serves as a guide for effective argument, successful analysis, and independent study.

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Critical thinking is an essential skill that helps us navigate the complexities of the world around us. It enables us to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and make informed decisions. If you’re looking to improve your critical thinking skills, here are ten books that can help you on your journey.

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman

This book is a fascinating exploration of how our brain processes information and makes decisions. Drawing on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and economics, Kahneman shows how we can overcome cognitive biases and think more critically. He also offers practical tips for improving our decision-making skills.

You can find this book here .

“The Art of Thinking Clearly” by Rolf Dobelli

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“Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide” by Tracy Bowell and Gary Kemp

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“The Power of Critical Thinking” by Lewis Vaughn

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“Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills” by Michael Kallet

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“The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark” by Carl Sagan

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“Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing” by Jamie Holmes

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“The Logic of Scientific Discovery” by Karl Popper

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“The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” by Thomas S. Kuhn

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Tips for Developing Your Critical Thinking Skills

Developing critical thinking skills is essential for navigating the complexities of modern life with confidence and clarity. In addition to reading books on the subject, there are several ways to develop your critical thinking skills. Here are a few tips:

Practice Active Listening

Active listening is a crucial component of critical thinking. When you’re communicating with others, actively listen to what they’re saying, and ask questions to clarify their points. This will help you understand their perspective and challenge your own assumptions. By doing so, you can broaden your perspective and gain new insights that you may not have considered before.

For example, if you’re having a conversation with someone who has a different political view than you, instead of immediately dismissing their opinion, ask them why they believe what they do. By doing so, you can gain a better understanding of their perspective and challenge your own assumptions.

Ask Thought-Provoking Questions

Asking thought-provoking questions is another way to develop your critical thinking skills. Instead of accepting surface-level explanations, dig deeper by asking questions that challenge assumptions and break down complex problems. Questions like “why?” and “how?” can help you identify underlying issues and gain a deeper understanding of a problem.

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Reflect on Your Own Thinking Process

Self-reflection is a critical component of developing your critical thinking skills. Take time to reflect on your own thinking process and identify any biases or assumptions that may be influencing your decisions. By doing so, you can become more aware of your own thought patterns and develop more effective strategies for critical thinking.

For example, if you’re trying to make a decision about a job offer, take time to reflect on your own biases and assumptions about the job, the company, and the industry. By doing so, you can make a more informed decision that is based on facts rather than assumptions.

Reading books on critical thinking and analytical skills can also help us develop a more effective approach to problem-solving and decision-making. By honing these skills, we can navigate the complexities of modern life with confidence and clarity.

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Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a widely accepted educational goal. Its definition is contested, but the competing definitions can be understood as differing conceptions of the same basic concept: careful thinking directed to a goal. Conceptions differ with respect to the scope of such thinking, the type of goal, the criteria and norms for thinking carefully, and the thinking components on which they focus. Its adoption as an educational goal has been recommended on the basis of respect for students’ autonomy and preparing students for success in life and for democratic citizenship. “Critical thinkers” have the dispositions and abilities that lead them to think critically when appropriate. The abilities can be identified directly; the dispositions indirectly, by considering what factors contribute to or impede exercise of the abilities. Standardized tests have been developed to assess the degree to which a person possesses such dispositions and abilities. Educational intervention has been shown experimentally to improve them, particularly when it includes dialogue, anchored instruction, and mentoring. Controversies have arisen over the generalizability of critical thinking across domains, over alleged bias in critical thinking theories and instruction, and over the relationship of critical thinking to other types of thinking.

2.1 Dewey’s Three Main Examples

2.2 dewey’s other examples, 2.3 further examples, 2.4 non-examples, 3. the definition of critical thinking, 4. its value, 5. the process of thinking critically, 6. components of the process, 7. contributory dispositions and abilities, 8.1 initiating dispositions, 8.2 internal dispositions, 9. critical thinking abilities, 10. required knowledge, 11. educational methods, 12.1 the generalizability of critical thinking, 12.2 bias in critical thinking theory and pedagogy, 12.3 relationship of critical thinking to other types of thinking, other internet resources, related entries.

Use of the term ‘critical thinking’ to describe an educational goal goes back to the American philosopher John Dewey (1910), who more commonly called it ‘reflective thinking’. He defined it as

active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it, and the further conclusions to which it tends. (Dewey 1910: 6; 1933: 9)

and identified a habit of such consideration with a scientific attitude of mind. His lengthy quotations of Francis Bacon, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill indicate that he was not the first person to propose development of a scientific attitude of mind as an educational goal.

In the 1930s, many of the schools that participated in the Eight-Year Study of the Progressive Education Association (Aikin 1942) adopted critical thinking as an educational goal, for whose achievement the study’s Evaluation Staff developed tests (Smith, Tyler, & Evaluation Staff 1942). Glaser (1941) showed experimentally that it was possible to improve the critical thinking of high school students. Bloom’s influential taxonomy of cognitive educational objectives (Bloom et al. 1956) incorporated critical thinking abilities. Ennis (1962) proposed 12 aspects of critical thinking as a basis for research on the teaching and evaluation of critical thinking ability.

Since 1980, an annual international conference in California on critical thinking and educational reform has attracted tens of thousands of educators from all levels of education and from many parts of the world. Also since 1980, the state university system in California has required all undergraduate students to take a critical thinking course. Since 1983, the Association for Informal Logic and Critical Thinking has sponsored sessions in conjunction with the divisional meetings of the American Philosophical Association (APA). In 1987, the APA’s Committee on Pre-College Philosophy commissioned a consensus statement on critical thinking for purposes of educational assessment and instruction (Facione 1990a). Researchers have developed standardized tests of critical thinking abilities and dispositions; for details, see the Supplement on Assessment . Educational jurisdictions around the world now include critical thinking in guidelines for curriculum and assessment.

For details on this history, see the Supplement on History .

2. Examples and Non-Examples

Before considering the definition of critical thinking, it will be helpful to have in mind some examples of critical thinking, as well as some examples of kinds of thinking that would apparently not count as critical thinking.

Dewey (1910: 68–71; 1933: 91–94) takes as paradigms of reflective thinking three class papers of students in which they describe their thinking. The examples range from the everyday to the scientific.

Transit : “The other day, when I was down town on 16th Street, a clock caught my eye. I saw that the hands pointed to 12:20. This suggested that I had an engagement at 124th Street, at one o’clock. I reasoned that as it had taken me an hour to come down on a surface car, I should probably be twenty minutes late if I returned the same way. I might save twenty minutes by a subway express. But was there a station near? If not, I might lose more than twenty minutes in looking for one. Then I thought of the elevated, and I saw there was such a line within two blocks. But where was the station? If it were several blocks above or below the street I was on, I should lose time instead of gaining it. My mind went back to the subway express as quicker than the elevated; furthermore, I remembered that it went nearer than the elevated to the part of 124th Street I wished to reach, so that time would be saved at the end of the journey. I concluded in favor of the subway, and reached my destination by one o’clock.” (Dewey 1910: 68–69; 1933: 91–92)

Ferryboat : “Projecting nearly horizontally from the upper deck of the ferryboat on which I daily cross the river is a long white pole, having a gilded ball at its tip. It suggested a flagpole when I first saw it; its color, shape, and gilded ball agreed with this idea, and these reasons seemed to justify me in this belief. But soon difficulties presented themselves. The pole was nearly horizontal, an unusual position for a flagpole; in the next place, there was no pulley, ring, or cord by which to attach a flag; finally, there were elsewhere on the boat two vertical staffs from which flags were occasionally flown. It seemed probable that the pole was not there for flag-flying.

“I then tried to imagine all possible purposes of the pole, and to consider for which of these it was best suited: (a) Possibly it was an ornament. But as all the ferryboats and even the tugboats carried poles, this hypothesis was rejected. (b) Possibly it was the terminal of a wireless telegraph. But the same considerations made this improbable. Besides, the more natural place for such a terminal would be the highest part of the boat, on top of the pilot house. (c) Its purpose might be to point out the direction in which the boat is moving.

“In support of this conclusion, I discovered that the pole was lower than the pilot house, so that the steersman could easily see it. Moreover, the tip was enough higher than the base, so that, from the pilot’s position, it must appear to project far out in front of the boat. Moreover, the pilot being near the front of the boat, he would need some such guide as to its direction. Tugboats would also need poles for such a purpose. This hypothesis was so much more probable than the others that I accepted it. I formed the conclusion that the pole was set up for the purpose of showing the pilot the direction in which the boat pointed, to enable him to steer correctly.” (Dewey 1910: 69–70; 1933: 92–93)

Bubbles : “In washing tumblers in hot soapsuds and placing them mouth downward on a plate, bubbles appeared on the outside of the mouth of the tumblers and then went inside. Why? The presence of bubbles suggests air, which I note must come from inside the tumbler. I see that the soapy water on the plate prevents escape of the air save as it may be caught in bubbles. But why should air leave the tumbler? There was no substance entering to force it out. It must have expanded. It expands by increase of heat, or by decrease of pressure, or both. Could the air have become heated after the tumbler was taken from the hot suds? Clearly not the air that was already entangled in the water. If heated air was the cause, cold air must have entered in transferring the tumblers from the suds to the plate. I test to see if this supposition is true by taking several more tumblers out. Some I shake so as to make sure of entrapping cold air in them. Some I take out holding mouth downward in order to prevent cold air from entering. Bubbles appear on the outside of every one of the former and on none of the latter. I must be right in my inference. Air from the outside must have been expanded by the heat of the tumbler, which explains the appearance of the bubbles on the outside. But why do they then go inside? Cold contracts. The tumbler cooled and also the air inside it. Tension was removed, and hence bubbles appeared inside. To be sure of this, I test by placing a cup of ice on the tumbler while the bubbles are still forming outside. They soon reverse” (Dewey 1910: 70–71; 1933: 93–94).

Dewey (1910, 1933) sprinkles his book with other examples of critical thinking. We will refer to the following.

Weather : A man on a walk notices that it has suddenly become cool, thinks that it is probably going to rain, looks up and sees a dark cloud obscuring the sun, and quickens his steps (1910: 6–10; 1933: 9–13).

Disorder : A man finds his rooms on his return to them in disorder with his belongings thrown about, thinks at first of burglary as an explanation, then thinks of mischievous children as being an alternative explanation, then looks to see whether valuables are missing, and discovers that they are (1910: 82–83; 1933: 166–168).

Typhoid : A physician diagnosing a patient whose conspicuous symptoms suggest typhoid avoids drawing a conclusion until more data are gathered by questioning the patient and by making tests (1910: 85–86; 1933: 170).

Blur : A moving blur catches our eye in the distance, we ask ourselves whether it is a cloud of whirling dust or a tree moving its branches or a man signaling to us, we think of other traits that should be found on each of those possibilities, and we look and see if those traits are found (1910: 102, 108; 1933: 121, 133).

Suction pump : In thinking about the suction pump, the scientist first notes that it will draw water only to a maximum height of 33 feet at sea level and to a lesser maximum height at higher elevations, selects for attention the differing atmospheric pressure at these elevations, sets up experiments in which the air is removed from a vessel containing water (when suction no longer works) and in which the weight of air at various levels is calculated, compares the results of reasoning about the height to which a given weight of air will allow a suction pump to raise water with the observed maximum height at different elevations, and finally assimilates the suction pump to such apparently different phenomena as the siphon and the rising of a balloon (1910: 150–153; 1933: 195–198).

Diamond : A passenger in a car driving in a diamond lane reserved for vehicles with at least one passenger notices that the diamond marks on the pavement are far apart in some places and close together in others. Why? The driver suggests that the reason may be that the diamond marks are not needed where there is a solid double line separating the diamond lane from the adjoining lane, but are needed when there is a dotted single line permitting crossing into the diamond lane. Further observation confirms that the diamonds are close together when a dotted line separates the diamond lane from its neighbour, but otherwise far apart.

Rash : A woman suddenly develops a very itchy red rash on her throat and upper chest. She recently noticed a mark on the back of her right hand, but was not sure whether the mark was a rash or a scrape. She lies down in bed and thinks about what might be causing the rash and what to do about it. About two weeks before, she began taking blood pressure medication that contained a sulfa drug, and the pharmacist had warned her, in view of a previous allergic reaction to a medication containing a sulfa drug, to be on the alert for an allergic reaction; however, she had been taking the medication for two weeks with no such effect. The day before, she began using a new cream on her neck and upper chest; against the new cream as the cause was mark on the back of her hand, which had not been exposed to the cream. She began taking probiotics about a month before. She also recently started new eye drops, but she supposed that manufacturers of eye drops would be careful not to include allergy-causing components in the medication. The rash might be a heat rash, since she recently was sweating profusely from her upper body. Since she is about to go away on a short vacation, where she would not have access to her usual physician, she decides to keep taking the probiotics and using the new eye drops but to discontinue the blood pressure medication and to switch back to the old cream for her neck and upper chest. She forms a plan to consult her regular physician on her return about the blood pressure medication.

Candidate : Although Dewey included no examples of thinking directed at appraising the arguments of others, such thinking has come to be considered a kind of critical thinking. We find an example of such thinking in the performance task on the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+), which its sponsoring organization describes as

a performance-based assessment that provides a measure of an institution’s contribution to the development of critical-thinking and written communication skills of its students. (Council for Aid to Education 2017)

A sample task posted on its website requires the test-taker to write a report for public distribution evaluating a fictional candidate’s policy proposals and their supporting arguments, using supplied background documents, with a recommendation on whether to endorse the candidate.

Immediate acceptance of an idea that suggests itself as a solution to a problem (e.g., a possible explanation of an event or phenomenon, an action that seems likely to produce a desired result) is “uncritical thinking, the minimum of reflection” (Dewey 1910: 13). On-going suspension of judgment in the light of doubt about a possible solution is not critical thinking (Dewey 1910: 108). Critique driven by a dogmatically held political or religious ideology is not critical thinking; thus Paulo Freire (1968 [1970]) is using the term (e.g., at 1970: 71, 81, 100, 146) in a more politically freighted sense that includes not only reflection but also revolutionary action against oppression. Derivation of a conclusion from given data using an algorithm is not critical thinking.

What is critical thinking? There are many definitions. Ennis (2016) lists 14 philosophically oriented scholarly definitions and three dictionary definitions. Following Rawls (1971), who distinguished his conception of justice from a utilitarian conception but regarded them as rival conceptions of the same concept, Ennis maintains that the 17 definitions are different conceptions of the same concept. Rawls articulated the shared concept of justice as

a characteristic set of principles for assigning basic rights and duties and for determining… the proper distribution of the benefits and burdens of social cooperation. (Rawls 1971: 5)

Bailin et al. (1999b) claim that, if one considers what sorts of thinking an educator would take not to be critical thinking and what sorts to be critical thinking, one can conclude that educators typically understand critical thinking to have at least three features.

• It is done for the purpose of making up one’s mind about what to believe or do.
• The person engaging in the thinking is trying to fulfill standards of adequacy and accuracy appropriate to the thinking.
• The thinking fulfills the relevant standards to some threshold level.

One could sum up the core concept that involves these three features by saying that critical thinking is careful goal-directed thinking. This core concept seems to apply to all the examples of critical thinking described in the previous section. As for the non-examples, their exclusion depends on construing careful thinking as excluding jumping immediately to conclusions, suspending judgment no matter how strong the evidence, reasoning from an unquestioned ideological or religious perspective, and routinely using an algorithm to answer a question.

If the core of critical thinking is careful goal-directed thinking, conceptions of it can vary according to its presumed scope, its presumed goal, one’s criteria and threshold for being careful, and the thinking component on which one focuses. As to its scope, some conceptions (e.g., Dewey 1910, 1933) restrict it to constructive thinking on the basis of one’s own observations and experiments, others (e.g., Ennis 1962; Fisher & Scriven 1997; Johnson 1992) to appraisal of the products of such thinking. Ennis (1991) and Bailin et al. (1999b) take it to cover both construction and appraisal. As to its goal, some conceptions restrict it to forming a judgment (Dewey 1910, 1933; Lipman 1987; Facione 1990a). Others allow for actions as well as beliefs as the end point of a process of critical thinking (Ennis 1991; Bailin et al. 1999b). As to the criteria and threshold for being careful, definitions vary in the term used to indicate that critical thinking satisfies certain norms: “intellectually disciplined” (Scriven & Paul 1987), “reasonable” (Ennis 1991), “skillful” (Lipman 1987), “skilled” (Fisher & Scriven 1997), “careful” (Bailin & Battersby 2009). Some definitions specify these norms, referring variously to “consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends” (Dewey 1910, 1933); “the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning” (Glaser 1941); “conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication” (Scriven & Paul 1987); the requirement that “it is sensitive to context, relies on criteria, and is self-correcting” (Lipman 1987); “evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations” (Facione 1990a); and “plus-minus considerations of the product in terms of appropriate standards (or criteria)” (Johnson 1992). Stanovich and Stanovich (2010) propose to ground the concept of critical thinking in the concept of rationality, which they understand as combining epistemic rationality (fitting one’s beliefs to the world) and instrumental rationality (optimizing goal fulfillment); a critical thinker, in their view, is someone with “a propensity to override suboptimal responses from the autonomous mind” (2010: 227). These variant specifications of norms for critical thinking are not necessarily incompatible with one another, and in any case presuppose the core notion of thinking carefully. As to the thinking component singled out, some definitions focus on suspension of judgment during the thinking (Dewey 1910; McPeck 1981), others on inquiry while judgment is suspended (Bailin & Battersby 2009, 2021), others on the resulting judgment (Facione 1990a), and still others on responsiveness to reasons (Siegel 1988). Kuhn (2019) takes critical thinking to be more a dialogic practice of advancing and responding to arguments than an individual ability.

In educational contexts, a definition of critical thinking is a “programmatic definition” (Scheffler 1960: 19). It expresses a practical program for achieving an educational goal. For this purpose, a one-sentence formulaic definition is much less useful than articulation of a critical thinking process, with criteria and standards for the kinds of thinking that the process may involve. The real educational goal is recognition, adoption and implementation by students of those criteria and standards. That adoption and implementation in turn consists in acquiring the knowledge, abilities and dispositions of a critical thinker.

Conceptions of critical thinking generally do not include moral integrity as part of the concept. Dewey, for example, took critical thinking to be the ultimate intellectual goal of education, but distinguished it from the development of social cooperation among school children, which he took to be the central moral goal. Ennis (1996, 2011) added to his previous list of critical thinking dispositions a group of dispositions to care about the dignity and worth of every person, which he described as a “correlative” (1996) disposition without which critical thinking would be less valuable and perhaps harmful. An educational program that aimed at developing critical thinking but not the correlative disposition to care about the dignity and worth of every person, he asserted, “would be deficient and perhaps dangerous” (Ennis 1996: 172).

Dewey thought that education for reflective thinking would be of value to both the individual and society; recognition in educational practice of the kinship to the scientific attitude of children’s native curiosity, fertile imagination and love of experimental inquiry “would make for individual happiness and the reduction of social waste” (Dewey 1910: iii). Schools participating in the Eight-Year Study took development of the habit of reflective thinking and skill in solving problems as a means to leading young people to understand, appreciate and live the democratic way of life characteristic of the United States (Aikin 1942: 17–18, 81). Harvey Siegel (1988: 55–61) has offered four considerations in support of adopting critical thinking as an educational ideal. (1) Respect for persons requires that schools and teachers honour students’ demands for reasons and explanations, deal with students honestly, and recognize the need to confront students’ independent judgment; these requirements concern the manner in which teachers treat students. (2) Education has the task of preparing children to be successful adults, a task that requires development of their self-sufficiency. (3) Education should initiate children into the rational traditions in such fields as history, science and mathematics. (4) Education should prepare children to become democratic citizens, which requires reasoned procedures and critical talents and attitudes. To supplement these considerations, Siegel (1988: 62–90) responds to two objections: the ideology objection that adoption of any educational ideal requires a prior ideological commitment and the indoctrination objection that cultivation of critical thinking cannot escape being a form of indoctrination.

Despite the diversity of our 11 examples, one can recognize a common pattern. Dewey analyzed it as consisting of five phases:

• suggestions , in which the mind leaps forward to a possible solution;
• an intellectualization of the difficulty or perplexity into a problem to be solved, a question for which the answer must be sought;
• the use of one suggestion after another as a leading idea, or hypothesis , to initiate and guide observation and other operations in collection of factual material;
• the mental elaboration of the idea or supposition as an idea or supposition ( reasoning , in the sense on which reasoning is a part, not the whole, of inference); and
• testing the hypothesis by overt or imaginative action. (Dewey 1933: 106–107; italics in original)

The process of reflective thinking consisting of these phases would be preceded by a perplexed, troubled or confused situation and followed by a cleared-up, unified, resolved situation (Dewey 1933: 106). The term ‘phases’ replaced the term ‘steps’ (Dewey 1910: 72), thus removing the earlier suggestion of an invariant sequence. Variants of the above analysis appeared in (Dewey 1916: 177) and (Dewey 1938: 101–119).

The variant formulations indicate the difficulty of giving a single logical analysis of such a varied process. The process of critical thinking may have a spiral pattern, with the problem being redefined in the light of obstacles to solving it as originally formulated. For example, the person in Transit might have concluded that getting to the appointment at the scheduled time was impossible and have reformulated the problem as that of rescheduling the appointment for a mutually convenient time. Further, defining a problem does not always follow after or lead immediately to an idea of a suggested solution. Nor should it do so, as Dewey himself recognized in describing the physician in Typhoid as avoiding any strong preference for this or that conclusion before getting further information (Dewey 1910: 85; 1933: 170). People with a hypothesis in mind, even one to which they have a very weak commitment, have a so-called “confirmation bias” (Nickerson 1998): they are likely to pay attention to evidence that confirms the hypothesis and to ignore evidence that counts against it or for some competing hypothesis. Detectives, intelligence agencies, and investigators of airplane accidents are well advised to gather relevant evidence systematically and to postpone even tentative adoption of an explanatory hypothesis until the collected evidence rules out with the appropriate degree of certainty all but one explanation. Dewey’s analysis of the critical thinking process can be faulted as well for requiring acceptance or rejection of a possible solution to a defined problem, with no allowance for deciding in the light of the available evidence to suspend judgment. Further, given the great variety of kinds of problems for which reflection is appropriate, there is likely to be variation in its component events. Perhaps the best way to conceptualize the critical thinking process is as a checklist whose component events can occur in a variety of orders, selectively, and more than once. These component events might include (1) noticing a difficulty, (2) defining the problem, (3) dividing the problem into manageable sub-problems, (4) formulating a variety of possible solutions to the problem or sub-problem, (5) determining what evidence is relevant to deciding among possible solutions to the problem or sub-problem, (6) devising a plan of systematic observation or experiment that will uncover the relevant evidence, (7) carrying out the plan of systematic observation or experimentation, (8) noting the results of the systematic observation or experiment, (9) gathering relevant testimony and information from others, (10) judging the credibility of testimony and information gathered from others, (11) drawing conclusions from gathered evidence and accepted testimony, and (12) accepting a solution that the evidence adequately supports (cf. Hitchcock 2017: 485).

Checklist conceptions of the process of critical thinking are open to the objection that they are too mechanical and procedural to fit the multi-dimensional and emotionally charged issues for which critical thinking is urgently needed (Paul 1984). For such issues, a more dialectical process is advocated, in which competing relevant world views are identified, their implications explored, and some sort of creative synthesis attempted.

If one considers the critical thinking process illustrated by the 11 examples, one can identify distinct kinds of mental acts and mental states that form part of it. To distinguish, label and briefly characterize these components is a useful preliminary to identifying abilities, skills, dispositions, attitudes, habits and the like that contribute causally to thinking critically. Identifying such abilities and habits is in turn a useful preliminary to setting educational goals. Setting the goals is in its turn a useful preliminary to designing strategies for helping learners to achieve the goals and to designing ways of measuring the extent to which learners have done so. Such measures provide both feedback to learners on their achievement and a basis for experimental research on the effectiveness of various strategies for educating people to think critically. Let us begin, then, by distinguishing the kinds of mental acts and mental events that can occur in a critical thinking process.

• Observing : One notices something in one’s immediate environment (sudden cooling of temperature in Weather , bubbles forming outside a glass and then going inside in Bubbles , a moving blur in the distance in Blur , a rash in Rash ). Or one notes the results of an experiment or systematic observation (valuables missing in Disorder , no suction without air pressure in Suction pump )
• Feeling : One feels puzzled or uncertain about something (how to get to an appointment on time in Transit , why the diamonds vary in spacing in Diamond ). One wants to resolve this perplexity. One feels satisfaction once one has worked out an answer (to take the subway express in Transit , diamonds closer when needed as a warning in Diamond ).
• Wondering : One formulates a question to be addressed (why bubbles form outside a tumbler taken from hot water in Bubbles , how suction pumps work in Suction pump , what caused the rash in Rash ).
• Imagining : One thinks of possible answers (bus or subway or elevated in Transit , flagpole or ornament or wireless communication aid or direction indicator in Ferryboat , allergic reaction or heat rash in Rash ).
• Inferring : One works out what would be the case if a possible answer were assumed (valuables missing if there has been a burglary in Disorder , earlier start to the rash if it is an allergic reaction to a sulfa drug in Rash ). Or one draws a conclusion once sufficient relevant evidence is gathered (take the subway in Transit , burglary in Disorder , discontinue blood pressure medication and new cream in Rash ).
• Knowledge : One uses stored knowledge of the subject-matter to generate possible answers or to infer what would be expected on the assumption of a particular answer (knowledge of a city’s public transit system in Transit , of the requirements for a flagpole in Ferryboat , of Boyle’s law in Bubbles , of allergic reactions in Rash ).
• Experimenting : One designs and carries out an experiment or a systematic observation to find out whether the results deduced from a possible answer will occur (looking at the location of the flagpole in relation to the pilot’s position in Ferryboat , putting an ice cube on top of a tumbler taken from hot water in Bubbles , measuring the height to which a suction pump will draw water at different elevations in Suction pump , noticing the spacing of diamonds when movement to or from a diamond lane is allowed in Diamond ).
• Consulting : One finds a source of information, gets the information from the source, and makes a judgment on whether to accept it. None of our 11 examples include searching for sources of information. In this respect they are unrepresentative, since most people nowadays have almost instant access to information relevant to answering any question, including many of those illustrated by the examples. However, Candidate includes the activities of extracting information from sources and evaluating its credibility.
• Identifying and analyzing arguments : One notices an argument and works out its structure and content as a preliminary to evaluating its strength. This activity is central to Candidate . It is an important part of a critical thinking process in which one surveys arguments for various positions on an issue.
• Judging : One makes a judgment on the basis of accumulated evidence and reasoning, such as the judgment in Ferryboat that the purpose of the pole is to provide direction to the pilot.
• Deciding : One makes a decision on what to do or on what policy to adopt, as in the decision in Transit to take the subway.

By definition, a person who does something voluntarily is both willing and able to do that thing at that time. Both the willingness and the ability contribute causally to the person’s action, in the sense that the voluntary action would not occur if either (or both) of these were lacking. For example, suppose that one is standing with one’s arms at one’s sides and one voluntarily lifts one’s right arm to an extended horizontal position. One would not do so if one were unable to lift one’s arm, if for example one’s right side was paralyzed as the result of a stroke. Nor would one do so if one were unwilling to lift one’s arm, if for example one were participating in a street demonstration at which a white supremacist was urging the crowd to lift their right arm in a Nazi salute and one were unwilling to express support in this way for the racist Nazi ideology. The same analysis applies to a voluntary mental process of thinking critically. It requires both willingness and ability to think critically, including willingness and ability to perform each of the mental acts that compose the process and to coordinate those acts in a sequence that is directed at resolving the initiating perplexity.

Consider willingness first. We can identify causal contributors to willingness to think critically by considering factors that would cause a person who was able to think critically about an issue nevertheless not to do so (Hamby 2014). For each factor, the opposite condition thus contributes causally to willingness to think critically on a particular occasion. For example, people who habitually jump to conclusions without considering alternatives will not think critically about issues that arise, even if they have the required abilities. The contrary condition of willingness to suspend judgment is thus a causal contributor to thinking critically.

Now consider ability. In contrast to the ability to move one’s arm, which can be completely absent because a stroke has left the arm paralyzed, the ability to think critically is a developed ability, whose absence is not a complete absence of ability to think but absence of ability to think well. We can identify the ability to think well directly, in terms of the norms and standards for good thinking. In general, to be able do well the thinking activities that can be components of a critical thinking process, one needs to know the concepts and principles that characterize their good performance, to recognize in particular cases that the concepts and principles apply, and to apply them. The knowledge, recognition and application may be procedural rather than declarative. It may be domain-specific rather than widely applicable, and in either case may need subject-matter knowledge, sometimes of a deep kind.

Reflections of the sort illustrated by the previous two paragraphs have led scholars to identify the knowledge, abilities and dispositions of a “critical thinker”, i.e., someone who thinks critically whenever it is appropriate to do so. We turn now to these three types of causal contributors to thinking critically. We start with dispositions, since arguably these are the most powerful contributors to being a critical thinker, can be fostered at an early stage of a child’s development, and are susceptible to general improvement (Glaser 1941: 175)

8. Critical Thinking Dispositions

Educational researchers use the term ‘dispositions’ broadly for the habits of mind and attitudes that contribute causally to being a critical thinker. Some writers (e.g., Paul & Elder 2006; Hamby 2014; Bailin & Battersby 2016a) propose to use the term ‘virtues’ for this dimension of a critical thinker. The virtues in question, although they are virtues of character, concern the person’s ways of thinking rather than the person’s ways of behaving towards others. They are not moral virtues but intellectual virtues, of the sort articulated by Zagzebski (1996) and discussed by Turri, Alfano, and Greco (2017).

On a realistic conception, thinking dispositions or intellectual virtues are real properties of thinkers. They are general tendencies, propensities, or inclinations to think in particular ways in particular circumstances, and can be genuinely explanatory (Siegel 1999). Sceptics argue that there is no evidence for a specific mental basis for the habits of mind that contribute to thinking critically, and that it is pedagogically misleading to posit such a basis (Bailin et al. 1999a). Whatever their status, critical thinking dispositions need motivation for their initial formation in a child—motivation that may be external or internal. As children develop, the force of habit will gradually become important in sustaining the disposition (Nieto & Valenzuela 2012). Mere force of habit, however, is unlikely to sustain critical thinking dispositions. Critical thinkers must value and enjoy using their knowledge and abilities to think things through for themselves. They must be committed to, and lovers of, inquiry.

A person may have a critical thinking disposition with respect to only some kinds of issues. For example, one could be open-minded about scientific issues but not about religious issues. Similarly, one could be confident in one’s ability to reason about the theological implications of the existence of evil in the world but not in one’s ability to reason about the best design for a guided ballistic missile.

Facione (1990a: 25) divides “affective dispositions” of critical thinking into approaches to life and living in general and approaches to specific issues, questions or problems. Adapting this distinction, one can usefully divide critical thinking dispositions into initiating dispositions (those that contribute causally to starting to think critically about an issue) and internal dispositions (those that contribute causally to doing a good job of thinking critically once one has started). The two categories are not mutually exclusive. For example, open-mindedness, in the sense of willingness to consider alternative points of view to one’s own, is both an initiating and an internal disposition.

Using the strategy of considering factors that would block people with the ability to think critically from doing so, we can identify as initiating dispositions for thinking critically attentiveness, a habit of inquiry, self-confidence, courage, open-mindedness, willingness to suspend judgment, trust in reason, wanting evidence for one’s beliefs, and seeking the truth. We consider briefly what each of these dispositions amounts to, in each case citing sources that acknowledge them.

• Attentiveness : One will not think critically if one fails to recognize an issue that needs to be thought through. For example, the pedestrian in Weather would not have looked up if he had not noticed that the air was suddenly cooler. To be a critical thinker, then, one needs to be habitually attentive to one’s surroundings, noticing not only what one senses but also sources of perplexity in messages received and in one’s own beliefs and attitudes (Facione 1990a: 25; Facione, Facione, & Giancarlo 2001).
• Habit of inquiry : Inquiry is effortful, and one needs an internal push to engage in it. For example, the student in Bubbles could easily have stopped at idle wondering about the cause of the bubbles rather than reasoning to a hypothesis, then designing and executing an experiment to test it. Thus willingness to think critically needs mental energy and initiative. What can supply that energy? Love of inquiry, or perhaps just a habit of inquiry. Hamby (2015) has argued that willingness to inquire is the central critical thinking virtue, one that encompasses all the others. It is recognized as a critical thinking disposition by Dewey (1910: 29; 1933: 35), Glaser (1941: 5), Ennis (1987: 12; 1991: 8), Facione (1990a: 25), Bailin et al. (1999b: 294), Halpern (1998: 452), and Facione, Facione, & Giancarlo (2001).
• Self-confidence : Lack of confidence in one’s abilities can block critical thinking. For example, if the woman in Rash lacked confidence in her ability to figure things out for herself, she might just have assumed that the rash on her chest was the allergic reaction to her medication against which the pharmacist had warned her. Thus willingness to think critically requires confidence in one’s ability to inquire (Facione 1990a: 25; Facione, Facione, & Giancarlo 2001).
• Courage : Fear of thinking for oneself can stop one from doing it. Thus willingness to think critically requires intellectual courage (Paul & Elder 2006: 16).
• Open-mindedness : A dogmatic attitude will impede thinking critically. For example, a person who adheres rigidly to a “pro-choice” position on the issue of the legal status of induced abortion is likely to be unwilling to consider seriously the issue of when in its development an unborn child acquires a moral right to life. Thus willingness to think critically requires open-mindedness, in the sense of a willingness to examine questions to which one already accepts an answer but which further evidence or reasoning might cause one to answer differently (Dewey 1933; Facione 1990a; Ennis 1991; Bailin et al. 1999b; Halpern 1998, Facione, Facione, & Giancarlo 2001). Paul (1981) emphasizes open-mindedness about alternative world-views, and recommends a dialectical approach to integrating such views as central to what he calls “strong sense” critical thinking. In three studies, Haran, Ritov, & Mellers (2013) found that actively open-minded thinking, including “the tendency to weigh new evidence against a favored belief, to spend sufficient time on a problem before giving up, and to consider carefully the opinions of others in forming one’s own”, led study participants to acquire information and thus to make accurate estimations.
• Willingness to suspend judgment : Premature closure on an initial solution will block critical thinking. Thus willingness to think critically requires a willingness to suspend judgment while alternatives are explored (Facione 1990a; Ennis 1991; Halpern 1998).
• Trust in reason : Since distrust in the processes of reasoned inquiry will dissuade one from engaging in it, trust in them is an initiating critical thinking disposition (Facione 1990a, 25; Bailin et al. 1999b: 294; Facione, Facione, & Giancarlo 2001; Paul & Elder 2006). In reaction to an allegedly exclusive emphasis on reason in critical thinking theory and pedagogy, Thayer-Bacon (2000) argues that intuition, imagination, and emotion have important roles to play in an adequate conception of critical thinking that she calls “constructive thinking”. From her point of view, critical thinking requires trust not only in reason but also in intuition, imagination, and emotion.
• Seeking the truth : If one does not care about the truth but is content to stick with one’s initial bias on an issue, then one will not think critically about it. Seeking the truth is thus an initiating critical thinking disposition (Bailin et al. 1999b: 294; Facione, Facione, & Giancarlo 2001). A disposition to seek the truth is implicit in more specific critical thinking dispositions, such as trying to be well-informed, considering seriously points of view other than one’s own, looking for alternatives, suspending judgment when the evidence is insufficient, and adopting a position when the evidence supporting it is sufficient.

Some of the initiating dispositions, such as open-mindedness and willingness to suspend judgment, are also internal critical thinking dispositions, in the sense of mental habits or attitudes that contribute causally to doing a good job of critical thinking once one starts the process. But there are many other internal critical thinking dispositions. Some of them are parasitic on one’s conception of good thinking. For example, it is constitutive of good thinking about an issue to formulate the issue clearly and to maintain focus on it. For this purpose, one needs not only the corresponding ability but also the corresponding disposition. Ennis (1991: 8) describes it as the disposition “to determine and maintain focus on the conclusion or question”, Facione (1990a: 25) as “clarity in stating the question or concern”. Other internal dispositions are motivators to continue or adjust the critical thinking process, such as willingness to persist in a complex task and willingness to abandon nonproductive strategies in an attempt to self-correct (Halpern 1998: 452). For a list of identified internal critical thinking dispositions, see the Supplement on Internal Critical Thinking Dispositions .

Some theorists postulate skills, i.e., acquired abilities, as operative in critical thinking. It is not obvious, however, that a good mental act is the exercise of a generic acquired skill. Inferring an expected time of arrival, as in Transit , has some generic components but also uses non-generic subject-matter knowledge. Bailin et al. (1999a) argue against viewing critical thinking skills as generic and discrete, on the ground that skilled performance at a critical thinking task cannot be separated from knowledge of concepts and from domain-specific principles of good thinking. Talk of skills, they concede, is unproblematic if it means merely that a person with critical thinking skills is capable of intelligent performance.

Despite such scepticism, theorists of critical thinking have listed as general contributors to critical thinking what they variously call abilities (Glaser 1941; Ennis 1962, 1991), skills (Facione 1990a; Halpern 1998) or competencies (Fisher & Scriven 1997). Amalgamating these lists would produce a confusing and chaotic cornucopia of more than 50 possible educational objectives, with only partial overlap among them. It makes sense instead to try to understand the reasons for the multiplicity and diversity, and to make a selection according to one’s own reasons for singling out abilities to be developed in a critical thinking curriculum. Two reasons for diversity among lists of critical thinking abilities are the underlying conception of critical thinking and the envisaged educational level. Appraisal-only conceptions, for example, involve a different suite of abilities than constructive-only conceptions. Some lists, such as those in (Glaser 1941), are put forward as educational objectives for secondary school students, whereas others are proposed as objectives for college students (e.g., Facione 1990a).

The abilities described in the remaining paragraphs of this section emerge from reflection on the general abilities needed to do well the thinking activities identified in section 6 as components of the critical thinking process described in section 5 . The derivation of each collection of abilities is accompanied by citation of sources that list such abilities and of standardized tests that claim to test them.

Observational abilities : Careful and accurate observation sometimes requires specialist expertise and practice, as in the case of observing birds and observing accident scenes. However, there are general abilities of noticing what one’s senses are picking up from one’s environment and of being able to articulate clearly and accurately to oneself and others what one has observed. It helps in exercising them to be able to recognize and take into account factors that make one’s observation less trustworthy, such as prior framing of the situation, inadequate time, deficient senses, poor observation conditions, and the like. It helps as well to be skilled at taking steps to make one’s observation more trustworthy, such as moving closer to get a better look, measuring something three times and taking the average, and checking what one thinks one is observing with someone else who is in a good position to observe it. It also helps to be skilled at recognizing respects in which one’s report of one’s observation involves inference rather than direct observation, so that one can then consider whether the inference is justified. These abilities come into play as well when one thinks about whether and with what degree of confidence to accept an observation report, for example in the study of history or in a criminal investigation or in assessing news reports. Observational abilities show up in some lists of critical thinking abilities (Ennis 1962: 90; Facione 1990a: 16; Ennis 1991: 9). There are items testing a person’s ability to judge the credibility of observation reports in the Cornell Critical Thinking Tests, Levels X and Z (Ennis & Millman 1971; Ennis, Millman, & Tomko 1985, 2005). Norris and King (1983, 1985, 1990a, 1990b) is a test of ability to appraise observation reports.

Emotional abilities : The emotions that drive a critical thinking process are perplexity or puzzlement, a wish to resolve it, and satisfaction at achieving the desired resolution. Children experience these emotions at an early age, without being trained to do so. Education that takes critical thinking as a goal needs only to channel these emotions and to make sure not to stifle them. Collaborative critical thinking benefits from ability to recognize one’s own and others’ emotional commitments and reactions.

Questioning abilities : A critical thinking process needs transformation of an inchoate sense of perplexity into a clear question. Formulating a question well requires not building in questionable assumptions, not prejudging the issue, and using language that in context is unambiguous and precise enough (Ennis 1962: 97; 1991: 9).

Imaginative abilities : Thinking directed at finding the correct causal explanation of a general phenomenon or particular event requires an ability to imagine possible explanations. Thinking about what policy or plan of action to adopt requires generation of options and consideration of possible consequences of each option. Domain knowledge is required for such creative activity, but a general ability to imagine alternatives is helpful and can be nurtured so as to become easier, quicker, more extensive, and deeper (Dewey 1910: 34–39; 1933: 40–47). Facione (1990a) and Halpern (1998) include the ability to imagine alternatives as a critical thinking ability.

Inferential abilities : The ability to draw conclusions from given information, and to recognize with what degree of certainty one’s own or others’ conclusions follow, is universally recognized as a general critical thinking ability. All 11 examples in section 2 of this article include inferences, some from hypotheses or options (as in Transit , Ferryboat and Disorder ), others from something observed (as in Weather and Rash ). None of these inferences is formally valid. Rather, they are licensed by general, sometimes qualified substantive rules of inference (Toulmin 1958) that rest on domain knowledge—that a bus trip takes about the same time in each direction, that the terminal of a wireless telegraph would be located on the highest possible place, that sudden cooling is often followed by rain, that an allergic reaction to a sulfa drug generally shows up soon after one starts taking it. It is a matter of controversy to what extent the specialized ability to deduce conclusions from premisses using formal rules of inference is needed for critical thinking. Dewey (1933) locates logical forms in setting out the products of reflection rather than in the process of reflection. Ennis (1981a), on the other hand, maintains that a liberally-educated person should have the following abilities: to translate natural-language statements into statements using the standard logical operators, to use appropriately the language of necessary and sufficient conditions, to deal with argument forms and arguments containing symbols, to determine whether in virtue of an argument’s form its conclusion follows necessarily from its premisses, to reason with logically complex propositions, and to apply the rules and procedures of deductive logic. Inferential abilities are recognized as critical thinking abilities by Glaser (1941: 6), Facione (1990a: 9), Ennis (1991: 9), Fisher & Scriven (1997: 99, 111), and Halpern (1998: 452). Items testing inferential abilities constitute two of the five subtests of the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (Watson & Glaser 1980a, 1980b, 1994), two of the four sections in the Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level X (Ennis & Millman 1971; Ennis, Millman, & Tomko 1985, 2005), three of the seven sections in the Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level Z (Ennis & Millman 1971; Ennis, Millman, & Tomko 1985, 2005), 11 of the 34 items on Forms A and B of the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (Facione 1990b, 1992), and a high but variable proportion of the 25 selected-response questions in the Collegiate Learning Assessment (Council for Aid to Education 2017).

Experimenting abilities : Knowing how to design and execute an experiment is important not just in scientific research but also in everyday life, as in Rash . Dewey devoted a whole chapter of his How We Think (1910: 145–156; 1933: 190–202) to the superiority of experimentation over observation in advancing knowledge. Experimenting abilities come into play at one remove in appraising reports of scientific studies. Skill in designing and executing experiments includes the acknowledged abilities to appraise evidence (Glaser 1941: 6), to carry out experiments and to apply appropriate statistical inference techniques (Facione 1990a: 9), to judge inductions to an explanatory hypothesis (Ennis 1991: 9), and to recognize the need for an adequately large sample size (Halpern 1998). The Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level Z (Ennis & Millman 1971; Ennis, Millman, & Tomko 1985, 2005) includes four items (out of 52) on experimental design. The Collegiate Learning Assessment (Council for Aid to Education 2017) makes room for appraisal of study design in both its performance task and its selected-response questions.

Consulting abilities : Skill at consulting sources of information comes into play when one seeks information to help resolve a problem, as in Candidate . Ability to find and appraise information includes ability to gather and marshal pertinent information (Glaser 1941: 6), to judge whether a statement made by an alleged authority is acceptable (Ennis 1962: 84), to plan a search for desired information (Facione 1990a: 9), and to judge the credibility of a source (Ennis 1991: 9). Ability to judge the credibility of statements is tested by 24 items (out of 76) in the Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level X (Ennis & Millman 1971; Ennis, Millman, & Tomko 1985, 2005) and by four items (out of 52) in the Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level Z (Ennis & Millman 1971; Ennis, Millman, & Tomko 1985, 2005). The College Learning Assessment’s performance task requires evaluation of whether information in documents is credible or unreliable (Council for Aid to Education 2017).

Argument analysis abilities : The ability to identify and analyze arguments contributes to the process of surveying arguments on an issue in order to form one’s own reasoned judgment, as in Candidate . The ability to detect and analyze arguments is recognized as a critical thinking skill by Facione (1990a: 7–8), Ennis (1991: 9) and Halpern (1998). Five items (out of 34) on the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (Facione 1990b, 1992) test skill at argument analysis. The College Learning Assessment (Council for Aid to Education 2017) incorporates argument analysis in its selected-response tests of critical reading and evaluation and of critiquing an argument.

Judging skills and deciding skills : Skill at judging and deciding is skill at recognizing what judgment or decision the available evidence and argument supports, and with what degree of confidence. It is thus a component of the inferential skills already discussed.

Lists and tests of critical thinking abilities often include two more abilities: identifying assumptions and constructing and evaluating definitions.

In addition to dispositions and abilities, critical thinking needs knowledge: of critical thinking concepts, of critical thinking principles, and of the subject-matter of the thinking.

We can derive a short list of concepts whose understanding contributes to critical thinking from the critical thinking abilities described in the preceding section. Observational abilities require an understanding of the difference between observation and inference. Questioning abilities require an understanding of the concepts of ambiguity and vagueness. Inferential abilities require an understanding of the difference between conclusive and defeasible inference (traditionally, between deduction and induction), as well as of the difference between necessary and sufficient conditions. Experimenting abilities require an understanding of the concepts of hypothesis, null hypothesis, assumption and prediction, as well as of the concept of statistical significance and of its difference from importance. They also require an understanding of the difference between an experiment and an observational study, and in particular of the difference between a randomized controlled trial, a prospective correlational study and a retrospective (case-control) study. Argument analysis abilities require an understanding of the concepts of argument, premiss, assumption, conclusion and counter-consideration. Additional critical thinking concepts are proposed by Bailin et al. (1999b: 293), Fisher & Scriven (1997: 105–106), Black (2012), and Blair (2021).

According to Glaser (1941: 25), ability to think critically requires knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning. If we review the list of abilities in the preceding section, however, we can see that some of them can be acquired and exercised merely through practice, possibly guided in an educational setting, followed by feedback. Searching intelligently for a causal explanation of some phenomenon or event requires that one consider a full range of possible causal contributors, but it seems more important that one implements this principle in one’s practice than that one is able to articulate it. What is important is “operational knowledge” of the standards and principles of good thinking (Bailin et al. 1999b: 291–293). But the development of such critical thinking abilities as designing an experiment or constructing an operational definition can benefit from learning their underlying theory. Further, explicit knowledge of quirks of human thinking seems useful as a cautionary guide. Human memory is not just fallible about details, as people learn from their own experiences of misremembering, but is so malleable that a detailed, clear and vivid recollection of an event can be a total fabrication (Loftus 2017). People seek or interpret evidence in ways that are partial to their existing beliefs and expectations, often unconscious of their “confirmation bias” (Nickerson 1998). Not only are people subject to this and other cognitive biases (Kahneman 2011), of which they are typically unaware, but it may be counter-productive for one to make oneself aware of them and try consciously to counteract them or to counteract social biases such as racial or sexual stereotypes (Kenyon & Beaulac 2014). It is helpful to be aware of these facts and of the superior effectiveness of blocking the operation of biases—for example, by making an immediate record of one’s observations, refraining from forming a preliminary explanatory hypothesis, blind refereeing, double-blind randomized trials, and blind grading of students’ work. It is also helpful to be aware of the prevalence of “noise” (unwanted unsystematic variability of judgments), of how to detect noise (through a noise audit), and of how to reduce noise: make accuracy the goal, think statistically, break a process of arriving at a judgment into independent tasks, resist premature intuitions, in a group get independent judgments first, favour comparative judgments and scales (Kahneman, Sibony, & Sunstein 2021). It is helpful as well to be aware of the concept of “bounded rationality” in decision-making and of the related distinction between “satisficing” and optimizing (Simon 1956; Gigerenzer 2001).

Critical thinking about an issue requires substantive knowledge of the domain to which the issue belongs. Critical thinking abilities are not a magic elixir that can be applied to any issue whatever by somebody who has no knowledge of the facts relevant to exploring that issue. For example, the student in Bubbles needed to know that gases do not penetrate solid objects like a glass, that air expands when heated, that the volume of an enclosed gas varies directly with its temperature and inversely with its pressure, and that hot objects will spontaneously cool down to the ambient temperature of their surroundings unless kept hot by insulation or a source of heat. Critical thinkers thus need a rich fund of subject-matter knowledge relevant to the variety of situations they encounter. This fact is recognized in the inclusion among critical thinking dispositions of a concern to become and remain generally well informed.

Experimental educational interventions, with control groups, have shown that education can improve critical thinking skills and dispositions, as measured by standardized tests. For information about these tests, see the Supplement on Assessment .

What educational methods are most effective at developing the dispositions, abilities and knowledge of a critical thinker? In a comprehensive meta-analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental studies of strategies for teaching students to think critically, Abrami et al. (2015) found that dialogue, anchored instruction, and mentoring each increased the effectiveness of the educational intervention, and that they were most effective when combined. They also found that in these studies a combination of separate instruction in critical thinking with subject-matter instruction in which students are encouraged to think critically was more effective than either by itself. However, the difference was not statistically significant; that is, it might have arisen by chance.

Most of these studies lack the longitudinal follow-up required to determine whether the observed differential improvements in critical thinking abilities or dispositions continue over time, for example until high school or college graduation. For details on studies of methods of developing critical thinking skills and dispositions, see the Supplement on Educational Methods .

12. Controversies

Scholars have denied the generalizability of critical thinking abilities across subject domains, have alleged bias in critical thinking theory and pedagogy, and have investigated the relationship of critical thinking to other kinds of thinking.

McPeck (1981) attacked the thinking skills movement of the 1970s, including the critical thinking movement. He argued that there are no general thinking skills, since thinking is always thinking about some subject-matter. It is futile, he claimed, for schools and colleges to teach thinking as if it were a separate subject. Rather, teachers should lead their pupils to become autonomous thinkers by teaching school subjects in a way that brings out their cognitive structure and that encourages and rewards discussion and argument. As some of his critics (e.g., Paul 1985; Siegel 1985) pointed out, McPeck’s central argument needs elaboration, since it has obvious counter-examples in writing and speaking, for which (up to a certain level of complexity) there are teachable general abilities even though they are always about some subject-matter. To make his argument convincing, McPeck needs to explain how thinking differs from writing and speaking in a way that does not permit useful abstraction of its components from the subject-matters with which it deals. He has not done so. Nevertheless, his position that the dispositions and abilities of a critical thinker are best developed in the context of subject-matter instruction is shared by many theorists of critical thinking, including Dewey (1910, 1933), Glaser (1941), Passmore (1980), Weinstein (1990), Bailin et al. (1999b), and Willingham (2019).

McPeck’s challenge prompted reflection on the extent to which critical thinking is subject-specific. McPeck argued for a strong subject-specificity thesis, according to which it is a conceptual truth that all critical thinking abilities are specific to a subject. (He did not however extend his subject-specificity thesis to critical thinking dispositions. In particular, he took the disposition to suspend judgment in situations of cognitive dissonance to be a general disposition.) Conceptual subject-specificity is subject to obvious counter-examples, such as the general ability to recognize confusion of necessary and sufficient conditions. A more modest thesis, also endorsed by McPeck, is epistemological subject-specificity, according to which the norms of good thinking vary from one field to another. Epistemological subject-specificity clearly holds to a certain extent; for example, the principles in accordance with which one solves a differential equation are quite different from the principles in accordance with which one determines whether a painting is a genuine Picasso. But the thesis suffers, as Ennis (1989) points out, from vagueness of the concept of a field or subject and from the obvious existence of inter-field principles, however broadly the concept of a field is construed. For example, the principles of hypothetico-deductive reasoning hold for all the varied fields in which such reasoning occurs. A third kind of subject-specificity is empirical subject-specificity, according to which as a matter of empirically observable fact a person with the abilities and dispositions of a critical thinker in one area of investigation will not necessarily have them in another area of investigation.

The thesis of empirical subject-specificity raises the general problem of transfer. If critical thinking abilities and dispositions have to be developed independently in each school subject, how are they of any use in dealing with the problems of everyday life and the political and social issues of contemporary society, most of which do not fit into the framework of a traditional school subject? Proponents of empirical subject-specificity tend to argue that transfer is more likely to occur if there is critical thinking instruction in a variety of domains, with explicit attention to dispositions and abilities that cut across domains. But evidence for this claim is scanty. There is a need for well-designed empirical studies that investigate the conditions that make transfer more likely.

It is common ground in debates about the generality or subject-specificity of critical thinking dispositions and abilities that critical thinking about any topic requires background knowledge about the topic. For example, the most sophisticated understanding of the principles of hypothetico-deductive reasoning is of no help unless accompanied by some knowledge of what might be plausible explanations of some phenomenon under investigation.

Critics have objected to bias in the theory, pedagogy and practice of critical thinking. Commentators (e.g., Alston 1995; Ennis 1998) have noted that anyone who takes a position has a bias in the neutral sense of being inclined in one direction rather than others. The critics, however, are objecting to bias in the pejorative sense of an unjustified favoring of certain ways of knowing over others, frequently alleging that the unjustly favoured ways are those of a dominant sex or culture (Bailin 1995). These ways favour:

• reinforcement of egocentric and sociocentric biases over dialectical engagement with opposing world-views (Paul 1981, 1984; Warren 1998)
• distancing from the object of inquiry over closeness to it (Martin 1992; Thayer-Bacon 1992)
• indifference to the situation of others over care for them (Martin 1992)
• orientation to thought over orientation to action (Martin 1992)
• being reasonable over caring to understand people’s ideas (Thayer-Bacon 1993)
• being neutral and objective over being embodied and situated (Thayer-Bacon 1995a)
• doubting over believing (Thayer-Bacon 1995b)
• reason over emotion, imagination and intuition (Thayer-Bacon 2000)
• solitary thinking over collaborative thinking (Thayer-Bacon 2000)
• written and spoken assignments over other forms of expression (Alston 2001)
• attention to written and spoken communications over attention to human problems (Alston 2001)
• winning debates in the public sphere over making and understanding meaning (Alston 2001)

A common thread in this smorgasbord of accusations is dissatisfaction with focusing on the logical analysis and evaluation of reasoning and arguments. While these authors acknowledge that such analysis and evaluation is part of critical thinking and should be part of its conceptualization and pedagogy, they insist that it is only a part. Paul (1981), for example, bemoans the tendency of atomistic teaching of methods of analyzing and evaluating arguments to turn students into more able sophists, adept at finding fault with positions and arguments with which they disagree but even more entrenched in the egocentric and sociocentric biases with which they began. Martin (1992) and Thayer-Bacon (1992) cite with approval the self-reported intimacy with their subject-matter of leading researchers in biology and medicine, an intimacy that conflicts with the distancing allegedly recommended in standard conceptions and pedagogy of critical thinking. Thayer-Bacon (2000) contrasts the embodied and socially embedded learning of her elementary school students in a Montessori school, who used their imagination, intuition and emotions as well as their reason, with conceptions of critical thinking as

thinking that is used to critique arguments, offer justifications, and make judgments about what are the good reasons, or the right answers. (Thayer-Bacon 2000: 127–128)

Alston (2001) reports that her students in a women’s studies class were able to see the flaws in the Cinderella myth that pervades much romantic fiction but in their own romantic relationships still acted as if all failures were the woman’s fault and still accepted the notions of love at first sight and living happily ever after. Students, she writes, should

be able to connect their intellectual critique to a more affective, somatic, and ethical account of making risky choices that have sexist, racist, classist, familial, sexual, or other consequences for themselves and those both near and far… critical thinking that reads arguments, texts, or practices merely on the surface without connections to feeling/desiring/doing or action lacks an ethical depth that should infuse the difference between mere cognitive activity and something we want to call critical thinking. (Alston 2001: 34)

Some critics portray such biases as unfair to women. Thayer-Bacon (1992), for example, has charged modern critical thinking theory with being sexist, on the ground that it separates the self from the object and causes one to lose touch with one’s inner voice, and thus stigmatizes women, who (she asserts) link self to object and listen to their inner voice. Her charge does not imply that women as a group are on average less able than men to analyze and evaluate arguments. Facione (1990c) found no difference by sex in performance on his California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Kuhn (1991: 280–281) found no difference by sex in either the disposition or the competence to engage in argumentative thinking.

The critics propose a variety of remedies for the biases that they allege. In general, they do not propose to eliminate or downplay critical thinking as an educational goal. Rather, they propose to conceptualize critical thinking differently and to change its pedagogy accordingly. Their pedagogical proposals arise logically from their objections. They can be summarized as follows:

• Focus on argument networks with dialectical exchanges reflecting contesting points of view rather than on atomic arguments, so as to develop “strong sense” critical thinking that transcends egocentric and sociocentric biases (Paul 1981, 1984).
• Foster closeness to the subject-matter and feeling connected to others in order to inform a humane democracy (Martin 1992).
• Develop “constructive thinking” as a social activity in a community of physically embodied and socially embedded inquirers with personal voices who value not only reason but also imagination, intuition and emotion (Thayer-Bacon 2000).
• In developing critical thinking in school subjects, treat as important neither skills nor dispositions but opening worlds of meaning (Alston 2001).
• Attend to the development of critical thinking dispositions as well as skills, and adopt the “critical pedagogy” practised and advocated by Freire (1968 [1970]) and hooks (1994) (Dalgleish, Girard, & Davies 2017).

A common thread in these proposals is treatment of critical thinking as a social, interactive, personally engaged activity like that of a quilting bee or a barn-raising (Thayer-Bacon 2000) rather than as an individual, solitary, distanced activity symbolized by Rodin’s The Thinker . One can get a vivid description of education with the former type of goal from the writings of bell hooks (1994, 2010). Critical thinking for her is open-minded dialectical exchange across opposing standpoints and from multiple perspectives, a conception similar to Paul’s “strong sense” critical thinking (Paul 1981). She abandons the structure of domination in the traditional classroom. In an introductory course on black women writers, for example, she assigns students to write an autobiographical paragraph about an early racial memory, then to read it aloud as the others listen, thus affirming the uniqueness and value of each voice and creating a communal awareness of the diversity of the group’s experiences (hooks 1994: 84). Her “engaged pedagogy” is thus similar to the “freedom under guidance” implemented in John Dewey’s Laboratory School of Chicago in the late 1890s and early 1900s. It incorporates the dialogue, anchored instruction, and mentoring that Abrami (2015) found to be most effective in improving critical thinking skills and dispositions.

What is the relationship of critical thinking to problem solving, decision-making, higher-order thinking, creative thinking, and other recognized types of thinking? One’s answer to this question obviously depends on how one defines the terms used in the question. If critical thinking is conceived broadly to cover any careful thinking about any topic for any purpose, then problem solving and decision making will be kinds of critical thinking, if they are done carefully. Historically, ‘critical thinking’ and ‘problem solving’ were two names for the same thing. If critical thinking is conceived more narrowly as consisting solely of appraisal of intellectual products, then it will be disjoint with problem solving and decision making, which are constructive.

Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives used the phrase “intellectual abilities and skills” for what had been labeled “critical thinking” by some, “reflective thinking” by Dewey and others, and “problem solving” by still others (Bloom et al. 1956: 38). Thus, the so-called “higher-order thinking skills” at the taxonomy’s top levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation are just critical thinking skills, although they do not come with general criteria for their assessment (Ennis 1981b). The revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy (Anderson et al. 2001) likewise treats critical thinking as cutting across those types of cognitive process that involve more than remembering (Anderson et al. 2001: 269–270). For details, see the Supplement on History .

As to creative thinking, it overlaps with critical thinking (Bailin 1987, 1988). Thinking about the explanation of some phenomenon or event, as in Ferryboat , requires creative imagination in constructing plausible explanatory hypotheses. Likewise, thinking about a policy question, as in Candidate , requires creativity in coming up with options. Conversely, creativity in any field needs to be balanced by critical appraisal of the draft painting or novel or mathematical theory.

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• The Nature of Critical Thinking: An Outline of Critical Thinking Dispositions and Abilities , by Robert H. Ennis

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Unveiling the Best Critical Thinking Books in this 2024 Update

Are you looking to sharpen your critical thinking skills? Look no further! We’ve curated a list of the 20 best books about critical thinking that will challenge your mind and expand your perspective. Whether you’re a student, professional, or just someone who loves a good book on critical thinking, these critical thinking books will provide you with the tools and insights to think more critically and make better decisions. Let’s dive in and explore these thought-provoking reads!

• 1 20 Best Books About Critical Thinking
• 2 Thinking, Fast and Slow
• 3 The Art of Thinking Clearly
• 4 Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
• 5 Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
• 6 The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
• 7 The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
• 8 Super Thinking: The Big Book of Mental Models
• 9 The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
• 10 The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload
• 11 The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail
• 12 The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
• 13 The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home
• 14 The Art of Thinking
• 15 The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths
• 16 The Science of Fear: How the Culture of Fear Manipulates Your Brain
• 17 The Design of Everyday Things
• 18 The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security
• 19 Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide
• 20 Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
• 21 The Attacker’s Advantage: Turning Uncertainty into Breakthrough Opportunities
• 22 Conclusion

20 Best Books About Critical Thinking

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Thinking, Fast and Slow

By daniel kahneman.

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman is a groundbreaking book on critical thinking that delves into the two systems that drive the way we think: the fast, intuitive and emotional system, and the slow, deliberate and logical system. Kahneman, a Nobel Prize-winning psychologist, explores the cognitive biases and heuristics that affect our decision making, shedding light on the flaws and limitations of human reasoning. Through engaging examples and thought-provoking experiments, the book challenges readers to reevaluate their assumptions about their own thinking processes and the world around them. With its insightful exploration of the complexities of the human mind, this book about critical thinking offers valuable insights into how we can make more informed and rational decisions in our daily lives.

The Art of Thinking Clearly

By rolf dobelli.

The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli is a captivating book on critical thinking that delves into the common mental pitfalls we all fall victim to. Dobelli presents 99 cognitive biases, logical fallacies, and social distortions that cloud our judgment and hinder our decision-making. Through engaging anecdotes and real-life examples, the author offers practical advice on how to recognize and overcome these obstacles, empowering readers to make clearer, more rational choices in both their personal and professional lives. This insightful book about critical thinking provides valuable insights into the workings of the human mind and offers tools for sharpening our decision-making skills. Whether you’re a business professional, student, or simply someone who wants to improve their thinking, The Art of Thinking Clearly is an essential addition to your reading list.

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

By richard h. thaler and cass r. sunstein.

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness is a groundbreaking book on critical thinking by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. The authors explore how small changes, or “nudges,” in the way choices are presented can significantly impact decision-making. Drawing on insights from behavioral economics, psychology, and neuroscience, the book offers practical strategies for improving individual and societal decision-making. It challenges readers to rethink the traditional assumptions about human rationality and demonstrates how subtle changes in the environment can steer people towards better choices. Nudge provides a compelling argument for the power of choice architecture in shaping behavior and offers valuable insights for anyone interested in understanding and improving decision-making processes. This book about critical thinking is essential reading for anyone seeking to make better choices and understand the forces that influence our decisions.

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

By dan ariely.

Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely is a captivating book on critical thinking that explores the hidden forces that influence our decision-making processes. Through a series of thought-provoking experiments and real-life examples, Ariely challenges the traditional economic theory that humans are rational beings when it comes to making choices. He delves into the irrational behaviors that shape our decisions, such as the power of free offers, the influence of social norms, and the impact of emotions on our choices. This critical thinking book sheds light on the quirks of human behavior and provides valuable insights into how we can make better decisions in our personal and professional lives. Ariely’s engaging writing style and fascinating findings make Predictably Irrational a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of decision-making.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

By carl sagan.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark is a thought-provoking book on critical thinking by Carl Sagan. In this captivating work, Sagan explores the importance of skepticism, reason, and scientific thinking in a world filled with superstition, pseudoscience, and misinformation. With eloquence and insight, Sagan urges readers to embrace the tools of critical thinking and to question claims that lack empirical evidence. He emphasizes the value of scientific inquiry and the need to distinguish between genuine knowledge and unfounded beliefs. The book serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of ignorance and the vital role of rational thinking in navigating the complexities of our world. Sagan’s compelling prose and compelling arguments make this book about critical thinking a must-read for anyone seeking to cultivate a deeper understanding of the world around them.

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

By nassim nicholas taleb.

The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a thought-provoking book on critical thinking that explores the impact of rare and unpredictable events on our lives. Taleb introduces the concept of “black swan” events, which are highly improbable occurrences with massive consequences. Through engaging anecdotes and insightful analysis, he challenges the way we perceive and understand the world, shedding light on the limitations of our knowledge and the importance of embracing uncertainty. This critical thinking book encourages readers to question their assumptions, consider the role of randomness in shaping our lives, and develop a more nuanced understanding of the complex systems that govern our world. With its emphasis on skepticism and intellectual humility, The Black Swan offers a fresh perspective on decision-making and risk assessment, making it an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the unpredictable nature of our reality.

Super Thinking: The Big Book of Mental Models

By gabriel weinberg and lauren mccann.

Super Thinking: The Big Book of Mental Models by Gabriel Weinberg and Lauren McCann is a comprehensive guide to improving your decision-making skills. This book on critical thinking introduces readers to various mental models, which are thinking tools that help us make sense of the world and make better choices. The authors present a wide range of mental models, from probability and statistics to physics and biology, offering practical examples and exercises to help readers apply these models in their daily lives. Whether you’re a student, professional, or simply someone looking to enhance your critical thinking abilities, this critical thinking book provides valuable insights and strategies for making smarter decisions. Super Thinking is a must-read for anyone seeking to sharpen their cognitive skills and become a more effective thinker.

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

By jonathan haidt.

The Righteous Mind is a thought-provoking exploration of why people are so deeply divided by politics and religion. Jonathan Haidt delves into the psychology of morality, arguing that our moral judgments are driven more by intuition than by critical thinking. Haidt presents a compelling case for the importance of understanding the moral foundations that shape our beliefs and how they influence our political and religious affiliations. This book about critical thinking challenges readers to consider the role of emotions and social influences in shaping our moral reasoning, offering valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics of human morality and the nature of political and religious divisions. The Righteous Mind is a must-read for anyone interested in psychology, ethics, or the complexities of human nature.

The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload

By daniel j. levitin.

The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload by Daniel J. Levitin is a fascinating exploration of how our brains process and organize the constant influx of information in today’s digital age. Levitin, a neuroscientist and cognitive psychologist, offers practical strategies for managing information overload and making better decisions. This critical thinking book delves into the science of attention, memory, and decision-making, providing valuable insights into how we can optimize our cognitive abilities. By understanding the way our brains work, readers can learn to navigate the complexities of modern life with more clarity and efficiency. Levitin’s engaging writing style and real-world examples make this book a must-read for anyone seeking to improve their organizational skills and cognitive performance in the face of overwhelming amounts of information.

The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail

By clayton m. christensen.

The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen is a groundbreaking book on critical thinking that explores why successful companies often fail when faced with disruptive innovation. Christensen argues that companies can become too focused on satisfying their existing customers and improving their current products, which can blind them to the potential of new, disruptive technologies. The book provides numerous case studies and examples to illustrate how even the most well-managed and innovative companies can be blindsided by new technologies. Christensen offers valuable insights into how companies can navigate the challenges of disruptive innovation and adapt their business strategies to stay ahead in a rapidly changing marketplace. The Innovator’s Dilemma is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of innovation and the importance of critical thinking in business.

Recommended for you:

The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

By eric ries.

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries is a groundbreaking book on critical thinking for entrepreneurs. Ries introduces the concept of continuous innovation, urging businesses to adopt a flexible, adaptive approach to product development. He emphasizes the importance of testing assumptions, gathering feedback, and making data-driven decisions to create successful, scalable businesses. Ries’s approach challenges traditional business models and encourages entrepreneurs to embrace uncertainty, take calculated risks, and pivot when necessary. The book provides practical strategies for startup founders and established companies alike, offering valuable insights into building a sustainable business in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing market. With its focus on experimentation and learning, The Lean Startup is an essential read for anyone seeking to develop a critical thinking mindset and drive innovation in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home

The Upside of Irrationality by Dan Ariely is a thought-provoking book about critical thinking that challenges the notion that logic is always the best approach. Ariely explores the unexpected benefits of defying logic at work and at home, shedding light on the ways in which irrationality can actually lead to positive outcomes. Through engaging anecdotes and thought experiments, Ariely demonstrates how our irrational behaviors can be harnessed for greater creativity, motivation, and decision-making. This critical thinking book offers a fresh perspective on human behavior and provides valuable insights for anyone looking to understand the complexities of the mind. Whether you’re interested in psychology, economics, or simply want to improve your critical thinking skills, The Upside of Irrationality is a compelling read that will challenge your assumptions and expand your understanding of human behavior.

The Art of Thinking

By ernest dimnet.

The Art of Thinking by Ernest Dimnet is a timeless book on critical thinking that delves into the intricacies of the human mind and the art of reasoning. Dimnet explores the importance of cultivating a thoughtful and analytical approach to life, in both personal and intellectual pursuits. Through engaging prose and thought-provoking insights, the author encourages readers to sharpen their intellect and embrace the power of critical thinking in every aspect of their lives. This critical thinking book offers practical wisdom and guidance for developing a deeper understanding of the world around us, making it an essential read for anyone seeking to enhance their cognitive abilities and broaden their perspectives.

The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths

By michael shermer.

The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer is a fascinating book on critical thinking that delves into the psychology behind belief formation. Shermer explores how our brains are wired to seek patterns and make sense of the world, often leading us to construct and reinforce beliefs that may not align with reality. From the belief in ghosts and gods to political ideologies and conspiracy theories, Shermer unpacks the cognitive processes that underpin our convictions and offers insights into how we can cultivate a more rational and evidence-based approach to understanding the world. Through engaging storytelling and compelling research, The Believing Brain challenges readers to examine their own beliefs and encourages a more skeptical and open-minded approach to navigating the complexities of our modern world. This critical thinking book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the human mind and the nature of belief.

The Science of Fear: How the Culture of Fear Manipulates Your Brain

By daniel gardner.

The Science of Fear: How the Culture of Fear Manipulates Your Brain by Daniel Gardner is a fascinating exploration of how fear influences our thoughts and behaviors. This critical thinking book delves into the psychology of fear, examining how media, politics, and society exploit our natural instincts to instill fear in us. Gardner provides insight into how our brains process fear and how we can learn to recognize and combat irrational fears. He offers practical strategies for approaching fear with a rational mindset, empowering readers to make informed decisions and resist manipulation. This book about critical thinking is a thought-provoking and eye-opening read, shedding light on the ways fear can impact our perceptions and actions. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of human psychology and the power of critical thinking.

The Design of Everyday Things

By don norman.

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman is a seminal book on critical thinking in the context of design. Norman explores the ways in which everyday objects are designed and how those designs impact our interactions with them. He delves into the psychology of design, discussing the principles of usability and the importance of user-centered design. Through engaging examples and case studies, Norman challenges readers to think critically about the objects they encounter daily, prompting them to consider how design choices influence their experiences. This thought-provoking book about critical thinking encourages readers to question the design of the world around them and to recognize the power of thoughtful, user-centric design in shaping their everyday lives.

The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security

By kevin d. mitnick.

The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security by Kevin D. Mitnick is a captivating book about the art of manipulating human behavior to gain access to sensitive information. Mitnick, a former hacker turned security consultant, explores the psychological tactics and social engineering techniques used to exploit the human element of security. This eye-opening book on critical thinking sheds light on the vulnerabilities of human nature and provides valuable insights into how to protect against social engineering attacks. Mitnick’s engaging storytelling and real-world examples make this critical thinking book a must-read for anyone interested in cybersecurity, psychology, or human behavior.

Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide

By tracy bowell and gary kemp.

Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide by Tracy Bowell and Gary Kemp is a comprehensive and accessible book about critical thinking. It provides a clear and practical introduction to the essential skills of critical reasoning and argumentation. The authors present a wide range of topics, from identifying and analyzing arguments to evaluating evidence and making sound judgments. This book on critical thinking is perfect for students and anyone looking to improve their analytical and reasoning abilities. With its engaging and easy-to-follow style, it’s a valuable resource for anyone seeking to develop their critical thinking skills and become a more effective and discerning thinker.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

By robert b. cialdini.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini is a captivating exploration of the psychology behind the art of persuasion. This insightful book delves into the various tactics and techniques used by individuals to influence the behavior and decisions of others. Cialdini draws on his extensive research and real-life examples to shed light on the power of persuasion and how it can be harnessed for both positive and negative outcomes. Whether you’re a marketer, salesperson, or simply interested in the dynamics of human interaction, this book offers valuable insights into the principles of influence and the psychology behind them. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to enhance their understanding of the subtle and often unconscious forces that shape our decisions. This is a book about critical thinking that will leave you with a deeper understanding of the art of persuasion.

The Attacker’s Advantage: Turning Uncertainty into Breakthrough Opportunities

By ram charan.

The Attacker’s Advantage by Ram Charan is a compelling book about critical thinking that explores how businesses can thrive in an uncertain and rapidly changing environment. Charan argues that in today’s volatile market, traditional strategies are no longer sufficient, and companies must learn to embrace uncertainty and turn it into breakthrough opportunities. The book provides insights into how successful companies navigate ambiguity, make bold decisions, and continuously innovate to stay ahead of the competition. Charan presents a framework for leaders to develop a mindset that enables them to see change as an advantage rather than a threat. Packed with real-life examples and actionable strategies, The Attacker’s Advantage is an essential read for anyone looking to sharpen their critical thinking skills and gain a competitive edge in the business world.

These 20 best books about Critical Thinking offer valuable insights and practical strategies for honing this essential skill. From examining logical fallacies to improving decision-making, these books provide a comprehensive guide to developing a well-rounded critical mindset. Whether you’re a student, educator, or lifelong learner, the wisdom contained within these pages will undoubtedly enrich your intellectual journey. Dive into these thought-provoking reads and elevate your ability to think critically in all aspects of life.

Which Critical Thinking book is best?

The best book on Critical Thinking can vary with personal preference, but three widely recommended titles are:

• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman ,
• The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli ,
• Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein .

Each offers valuable insights and could be a great starting point.

What are the best books to learn about Critical Thinking?

For those looking to learn about Critical Thinking, there is a wealth of literature that can provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Some of the most highly recommended books include:

• Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein ,
• Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely ,
• The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan ,
• The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb ,
• Super Thinking: The Big Book of Mental Models by Gabriel Weinberg and Lauren McCann ,
• The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt ,
• The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload by Daniel J. Levitin ,
• The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail by Clayton M. Christensen

These books offer a range of perspectives on Critical Thinking, covering various aspects and approaches to the subject.

What are the best books on Critical Thinking?

The best books on Critical Thinking include:

• The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries ,
• The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home by Dan Ariely ,
• The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb .

Each offers unique insights into the subject. While these books on the topic of Critical Thinking are highly regarded, it’s important to note that any list of ‘best’ books is subjective and reflects a range of opinions.

What are the best Critical Thinking books of all time?

Choosing the best Critical Thinking books of all time can vary depending on who you ask, but seven titles that are often celebrated include

• The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail by Clayton M. Christensen ,
• and The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries .

Each of these books has made a significant impact in the field of Critical Thinking and continues to be influential today.

Related posts:

Critical thinking definition

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

• Developing technical and problem-solving skills
• Engaging in more active listening
• Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
• Seeking out more diversity of thought
• Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

• What information should be included?
• Which information resources should the author look to?
• What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
• What is the most effective way to show information?
• How should the report be organized?
• How should it be designed?
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7 Best Critical Thinking Books of All Time

Our goal : Find the best Critical Thinking books according to the internet (not just one random person's opinion).

• Type "best critical thinking books" into our search engine and study the top 4+ pages.
• Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
• Rank the results neatly for you here! 😊 (It was a lot of work. But hey! That's why we're here, right?)

(Updated 2024)

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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024

• Best Critical Thinking Books

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

Predictably Irrational

The hidden forces that shape our decisions.

The Demon-Haunted World

Science as a candle in the dark.

The Art of Thinking Clearly

Rolf Dobelli

Factfulness

Ten reasons we're wrong about the world - and why things are better than you think.

Hans Rosling

How to Think About Weird Things

Critical thinking for a new age.

Theodore Schick

Asking the Right Questions

A guide to critical thinking.

M. Neil Browne

• The 5 Best Books On Critical Thinking | Game-Changer www.game-changer.net
• The 17 Best Books on Critical Thinking (to Read in 2023) upjourney.com
• The 5 Best Books on Critical Thinking for Einstein-Esque Performance bloomsoup.com
• Best Critical Thinking Books theartofliving.com

How was this Critical Thinking books list created?

We searched for 'best Critical Thinking books', found the top 5 articles, took every book mentioned in 2+ articles, and averaged their rankings.

How many Critical Thinking books are in this list?

There are 7 books in this list.

Why did you create this Critical Thinking books list?

We wanted to gather the most accurate list of Critical Thinking books on the internet.

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The 4 Pillars of Critical Thinking: 103 Techniques & Hacks to Improve Your Work and Personal Life by Mastering Mental Skills. Analyze Situations Better and Reason Well by Detecting Logical Fallacies Paperback – December 9, 2023

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• Print length 151 pages
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• Publication date December 9, 2023
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mind Mentor (December 9, 2023)
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109 of the Best Books On Entreprenurship (Part 1)

F or entrepreneurs, adaptability and knowledge are key currencies. The practice of reading stands out as an indispensable asset for visionary leaders . Beyond the bustling schedules and relentless pursuits of success, entrepreneurs find themselves drawn to the profound impact that books can have on their professional journey. This article explores the compelling reasons why reading is not just a leisurely pursuit but a strategic imperative for those navigating the unpredictable landscapes of business ownership. Additionally, we’ll look at the best books on entrepreneurship.

From acquiring in-depth industry insights and fostering continuous learning to gaining inspiration, honing critical thinking skills, and fostering personal development, the act of reading emerges as a cornerstone for entrepreneurial excellence. In this 2-part article series, we are here to answer, not just why you should read, but what you should read.

1. Knowledge Acquisition:

Reading exposes entrepreneurs to a wealth of information and knowledge. Books cover a variety of topics, including business strategies, industry trends, leadership skills, and personal development. Entrepreneurs can gain insights from the experiences and expertise of successful individuals in their fields.

2. Continuous Learning:

The business landscape is dynamic and ever-evolving. Reading allows entrepreneurs to stay updated on the latest trends, technologies, and market changes. Continuous learning is crucial for adapting to new challenges and opportunities, enabling entrepreneurs to make informed decisions.

3. Inspiration and Motivation:

Biographies, success stories, and motivational literature can inspire and motivate entrepreneurs. They truly are some of the best books on entrepreneurship. Learning about the journeys and triumphs of others can instill a sense of determination, resilience, and creativity, helping entrepreneurs overcome obstacles and stay focused on their goals.

4. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving:

Reading encourages critical thinking and the development of problem-solving skills. Entrepreneurs encounter various challenges in their ventures, and exposure to diverse perspectives through literature can enhance their ability to analyze situations, make strategic decisions, and find innovative solutions.

Having laid the groundwork for understanding why reading is an indispensable ally for entrepreneurs our expedition now ventures further into the realms of the best books on entrepreneurship. These carefully curated recommendations span genres and authors, each offering a unique perspective and a wealth of insights for entrepreneurs seeking guidance and inspiration. From timeless classics to contemporary bestsellers, these books serve as beacons, illuminating the paths to strategic thinking, leadership excellence, and business mastery. Join us as we navigate this literary landscape, unveiling the titles that stand as pillars in the library of entrepreneurial wisdom—books that promise not just to inform but to transform the very fabric of how entrepreneurs approach their ventures and shape the future of their endeavors.

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki

In “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” Robert Kiyosaki contrasts the contrasting financial philosophies of his biological father and the father of his best friend. This personal finance classic challenges traditional views on money, advocating for financial education, investment, and entrepreneurial thinking to achieve true wealth.

2. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey

Stephen R. Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” outlines a holistic approach to personal and professional effectiveness. Covey presents seven transformative habits that guide individuals toward greater productivity, effectiveness, and personal growth.

3. Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers” explores the factors contributing to exceptional success. Examining the lives of high achievers, Gladwell reveals the role of cultural background, opportunities, and external factors in shaping extraordinary outcomes, challenging the notion of success as solely an individual achievement.

4. Purple Cow – Seth Godin

In “Purple Cow,” Seth Godin urges businesses to stand out in a crowded market by being remarkable. The book emphasizes the importance of innovation and creativity in creating products or services that are so exceptional they capture attention and distinguish themselves from the ordinary.

5. Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” is a timeless guide to achieving success and wealth. Hill distills the principles of success he gleaned from studying successful individuals, emphasizing the power of a positive mental attitude, goal-setting, and persistence.

6. The Art of War – Sun Tzu

“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese military treatise, has transcended its origins to become a classic in strategy and leadership. While originally focused on warfare, its principles have been widely applied to business and life, offering insights into strategic thinking and effective decision-making.

7. The 48 Laws of Power – Robert Greene

Robert Greene’s “The 48 Laws of Power” delves into the dynamics of power and influence throughout history. Each law offers a strategy for navigating complex social and professional situations, making it a thought-provoking guide for those seeking to understand and wield power.

8. Start with Why – Simon Sinek

In “Start with Why,” Simon Sinek emphasizes the importance of understanding and communicating the “why” – the core purpose and beliefs – of individuals and organizations. By inspiring a sense of purpose, Sinek argues that leaders can create lasting impact and build strong connections.

9. The 4-Hour Workweek – Timothy Ferriss

Timothy Ferriss challenges traditional notions of work in “The 4-Hour Workweek.” Offering a blueprint for designing a life of freedom and efficiency, Ferriss shares strategies for automating businesses, outsourcing tasks, and maximizing productivity to achieve more with less effort.

10. The Millionaire Next Door – Thomas J. Stanley

“The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas J. Stanley dispels common myths about wealth, revealing that many millionaires live modestly and prioritize financial discipline. The book offers insights into the habits and characteristics of everyday millionaires, providing a guide for building lasting wealth.

11. The Richest Man in Babylon – George S. Clason

Set in ancient Babylon, George S. Clason’s “The Richest Man in Babylon” imparts timeless financial wisdom through parables. The book offers practical advice on wealth-building and money management, providing insights that remain relevant for achieving financial success in the modern world.

12. The Lean Startup – Eric Ries

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries introduces a revolutionary approach to entrepreneurship. Ries advocates for the lean startup methodology, emphasizing continuous innovation, customer feedback, and agile development. The book has become a guide for startups and established companies, promoting efficiency and adaptability in business .

13. The Magic of Thinking Big – David J. Schwartz

In “The Magic of Thinking Big,” David J. Schwartz explores the transformative power of mindset. Encouraging readers to think beyond limits, the book emphasizes the importance of self-belief, optimism, and proactive thinking in achieving personal and professional success.

14. The E-Myth Revisited – Michael E. Gerber

Michael E. Gerber’s “The E-Myth Revisited” dispels common myths about entrepreneurship and business ownership. Gerber introduces the concept of the “entrepreneurial myth” and provides insights into building scalable and successful businesses by systematizing operations and focusing on key roles.

15. Influence – Robert B. Cialdini

Robert B. Cialdini’s “Influence” delves into the psychology of persuasion. Exploring the principles that guide human decision-making, Cialdini identifies key factors that influence people and offers practical insights for individuals looking to enhance their persuasive abilities in various contexts.

16. How to Win Friends & Influence People – Dale Carnegie

Dale Carnegie’s classic “How to Win Friends & Influence People” remains a cornerstone in interpersonal communication. Offering timeless advice on building relationships and influencing others positively, Carnegie’s principles continue to guide individuals in personal and professional interactions.

17. Think Like a Monk – Jay Shetty

Jay Shetty’s “Think Like a Monk” draws on his experiences as a former monk to provide insights into mindfulness, purpose, and fulfillment. The book encourages readers to adopt monk-like principles to navigate life’s challenges and cultivate a mindset that leads to inner peace and success.

18. Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg

“Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg addresses gender dynamics in the workplace and encourages women to pursue leadership roles. Sandberg combines personal anecdotes with research to explore the challenges women face and offers practical advice for navigating professional environments and achieving success.

19. Crush It – Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk’s “Crush It” is a motivational guide for turning passion into a successful career. Vaynerchuk emphasizes the power of personal branding , social media, and hustle in creating opportunities and achieving professional goals in the digital age.

20. The $100 Startup – Chris Guillebeau

In “The $100 Startup,” Chris Guillebeau explores the world of entrepreneurship with a focus on low-cost, high-impact businesses. Drawing on real-life examples, the book provides practical advice for individuals looking to start small businesses and achieve financial independence with minimal investment.

21. Rework – Jason Fried

“Rework” by Jason Fried challenges conventional business wisdom and encourages a pragmatic and unconventional approach to work. Fried advocates for simplicity, efficiency, and a focus on what truly matters, providing insights for entrepreneurs and business leaders seeking a different perspective on success.

22. The Power of Broke – Daymond John

Daymond John’s “ The Power of Broke ” celebrates the advantages of starting a business with limited resources. Drawing on his own experiences, John showcases how a mindset of resilience, creativity, and resourcefulness can turn challenges into opportunities for entrepreneurial success.

23. The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” explores the phenomena that lead to the sudden and widespread adoption of ideas or trends. Gladwell identifies key factors that contribute to a tipping point and examines how small changes can lead to significant impacts in various social and cultural contexts.

24. Rich Dad’s CASHFLOW Quadrant – Robert T. Kiyosaki

Building on the principles from “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” Robert T. Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad’s CASHFLOW Quadrant” introduces the concept of the Cashflow Quadrant, categorizing individuals into Employee (E), Self-Employed (S), Business Owner (B), and Investor (I). The book explores different approaches to generating income and building wealth in each quadrant.

25. Zero to One – Peter Thiel – Blake Masters

In “Zero to One,” Peter Thiel, along with Blake Masters, challenges conventional thinking on innovation. Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal, explores the secrets of creating and capturing unique value in a world of competition, advocating for the importance of innovation and monopoly in building successful ventures.

26. The ONE Thing – Gary Keller – Jay Papasan

Gary Keller and Jay Papasan’s “The ONE Thing” advocates for a simplified and focused approach to productivity. The book emphasizes the power of identifying and prioritizing the most impactful tasks, helping individuals and businesses achieve greater results by concentrating on what truly matters.

27. The Startup Owner’s Manual – Steve Blank – Bob Dorf

The Startup Owner’s Manual” by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf serves as a comprehensive guide for entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of launching and growing a startup. The book provides practical insights, tools, and strategies based on the principles of lean startup methodology.

28. The Intelligent Investor – Benjamin Graham – Jason Zweig – Warren Buffett

Benjamin Graham’s “The Intelligent Investor,” updated by Jason Zweig, is a classic in value investing. Known as the “investor’s bible,” the book provides timeless principles for making sound investment decisions, with commentary from Warren Buffett, who considers Graham a significant influence on his own investment philosophy.

29. The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz

In “The Hard Thing About Hard Things,” Ben Horowitz, a successful entrepreneur and venture capitalist, shares candid insights into the challenges of leading and managing a business, particularly during tough times. The book provides practical advice on navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship.

30. Steve Jobs – Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson’s biography of “Steve Jobs” provides a comprehensive and intimate look into the life of the co-founder of Apple. Drawing on extensive interviews with Jobs and those close to him, Isaacson captures the innovative spirit and complex personality of this tech icon.

31. Built to Last – Jim Collins – Jerry I. Porras

“Built to Last” by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras explores the characteristics of enduring and successful companies. Drawing on research, the book identifies key principles and practices that contribute to the long-term success and sustainability of exceptional organizations.

32. Thinking, Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman

Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow” delves into the dual systems of thought that govern human decision-making. Kahneman explores the interplay between intuitive, fast thinking and deliberate, slow thinking, offering profound insights into human behavior and cognitive biases.

33. Shoe Dog – Phil Knight

In “ Shoe Dog ,” Nike co-founder Phil Knight recounts the journey of building one of the world’s most iconic brands. The memoir provides a compelling narrative of entrepreneurship, detailing the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned in the evolution of Nike.

34. Linchpin – Seth Godin

Seth Godin’s “Linchpin” challenges individuals to become indispensable in their workplaces and lives. The book encourages readers to embrace their unique qualities, be artists in their work, and create extraordinary value by becoming linchpins in their respective fields.

35. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind – Joseph Murphy

“The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” by Joseph Murphy explores the potential of the subconscious mind in shaping one’s reality. Murphy delves into the power of positive thinking, visualization, and affirmations, providing tools for personal development and achieving life goals.

36. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck – Mark Manson

Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” challenges conventional self-help advice by advocating for a more realistic and nuanced approach to life. The book encourages readers to focus on what truly matters and embrace life’s challenges to find genuine fulfillment.

37. Tools of Titans – Timothy Ferriss

In “Tools of Titans,” Timothy Ferriss distills insights from his popular podcast, “The Tim Ferriss Show.” The book features interviews with successful individuals from various fields, sharing their strategies, habits, and tools for achieving excellence in their personal and professional lives.

38. Too Big to Fail – Andrew Ross Sorkin

Andrew Ross Sorkin’s “Too Big to Fail” provides a gripping account of the 2008 financial crisis and the events leading to the bailout of major financial institutions. The book offers a detailed and insightful narrative, shedding light on the complexities of global finance during a tumultuous period.

39. Business Adventures – John Brooks

“Business Adventures” by John Brooks is a collection of essays that explores pivotal moments in the business world. Originally published in The New Yorker during the 1960s, these timeless stories offer insights into the challenges, successes, and complexities faced by various companies, providing valuable lessons for business enthusiasts.

40. The Outsiders – William Thorndike

William Thorndike’s “The Outsiders” profiles eight unconventional CEOs who defied conventional wisdom and achieved exceptional results for their companies and shareholders. The book challenges traditional management practices and highlights the importance of capital allocation and strategic decision-making.

41. Blue Ocean Strategy – W. Chan Kim – Renée Mauborgne

“Blue Ocean Strategy” by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne introduces a groundbreaking approach to business strategy. The authors advocate for creating uncontested market space, or “blue oceans,” by innovating and offering unique value propositions, diverging from traditional competition-focused strategies.

42. Bad Blood – John Carreyrou

John Carreyrou’s “Bad Blood” provides a riveting account of the rise and fall of Theranos, a health technology company that claimed to revolutionize blood testing. Carreyrou exposes the deception and unethical practices within the company, offering a cautionary tale about the consequences of corporate fraud.

43. Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman

“Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman explores the importance of emotional intelligence in personal and professional success. Goleman introduces the concept of EQ (emotional quotient) and highlights how understanding and managing emotions can contribute to effective leadership and interpersonal relationships.

44. Thrive – Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington’s “Thrive” advocates for a new definition of success that goes beyond traditional measures. The book encourages readers to prioritize well-being, wisdom, and wonder in addition to wealth and career achievements, fostering a more fulfilling and balanced life.

45. Titan – Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow’s biography “Titan” delves into the life of John D. Rockefeller, one of the most influential figures in American business history. The book provides a comprehensive and detailed account of Rockefeller’s rise to wealth and power, as well as his impact on the oil industry and philanthropy.

46. The Smartest Guys in the Room – Bethany McLean – Peter Elkind

“The Smartest Guys in the Room” by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind investigates the collapse of Enron, one of the most infamous corporate scandals in history. The book uncovers the unethical practices and financial manipulation that led to the downfall of the energy giant.

47. Guerilla Marketing – Jay Conrad Levinson

Jay Conrad Levinson’s “Guerilla Marketing” revolutionizes traditional marketing approaches by advocating for cost-effective, unconventional strategies. The book provides practical tips and creative ideas for small businesses to compete successfully against larger competitors in the marketing arena.

48. When Genius Failed – Roger Lowenstein

“When Genius Failed” by Roger Lowenstein recounts the story of the hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM) and its catastrophic collapse in 1998. Lowenstein explores the financial complexities and risks that led to the fund’s downfall, offering lessons about the perils of unchecked financial innovation.

49. First, Break All The Rules – Marcus Buckingham – Gallup Organization

Marcus Buckingham and the Gallup Organization present “First, Break All The Rules,” offering insights into effective management practices based on Gallup’s extensive research. The book challenges traditional management conventions, providing a fresh perspective on leadership and employee engagement.

50. Traction – Gabriel Weinberg – Justin Mares

“Traction” by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares serves as a practical guide for startups seeking to gain traction in the market. The book outlines various channels for customer acquisition, helping entrepreneurs identify and focus on the most effective strategies for scaling their businesses.

51. Deep Work – Cal Newport

In “Deep Work,” Cal Newport explores the benefits of focused and undistracted work in an age of constant connectivity. Newport presents strategies for cultivating deep work habits, allowing individuals to achieve higher levels of productivity and creativity in an increasingly distracting world.

52. So Good They Can’t Ignore You – Cal Newport

Cal Newport’s “So Good They Can’t Ignore You” challenges the conventional advice to “follow your passion” and advocates for a craftsman mindset. Newport argues that passion is developed through skill mastery and meaningful work, encouraging readers to focus on acquiring valuable skills to achieve success.

53. The Answer – John Assaraf – Murray Smith

“The Answer” by John Assaraf and Murray Smith combines personal development and business advice. Assaraf shares his journey from struggling with poverty to achieving success and provides insights on overcoming mental barriers, setting goals, and creating a mindset for wealth and abundance.

54. Grinding It Out – Ray Kroc

Ray Kroc’s autobiography, “Grinding It Out,” chronicles the founding and growth of McDonald’s, the iconic fast-food franchise. Kroc’s story provides a firsthand account of entrepreneurial persistence and innovation, offering lessons on business strategy and building a global brand.

Video by Rick Kettner on YouTube

As we draw the curtains on the first part of our exploration into the pivotal role of reading in the entrepreneurial realm, we find ourselves amidst a tapestry of insights and revelations. From the foundational importance of continuous learning and strategic thinking to the inspiration derived from the narratives of successful individuals, it becomes evident that reading is not a mere pastime for entrepreneurs—it is a strategic imperative. As they navigate the complexities of business ownership, entrepreneurs equipped with a well-curated reading habit stand fortified against the uncertainties of the ever-evolving landscape.

Join us in the second part, where we will delve deeper into specific literary landscapes that offer nuanced guidance for entrepreneurial success. In this collective journey of turning pages and embracing wisdom, entrepreneurs lay the groundwork for not just business triumphs but a holistic and enduring impact on their personal and professional landscapes.

Images provided by John Ray Ebora and picjumbo.com; Pexels; Thanks!

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