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 Looking for suggestIons on quality books on critical thinking.

garlikov's picture
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Wayne,

I highly recommend The Art of Strategy by Dixit & Nalebuff.

It's a book on a topic (Game theory) that I found intimidating initially, when it was introduced in my MBA microeconomics class. However, after reading this book, the topic is much more accessible and, most importantly, constantly useful in a variety of situations. Plus, the book is full of examples from sports, which is much more interesting than almost anything with "theory" appended to it.

The real value for me is less about studying business strategy, than it is about giving me a way to analyze any situation (personal or professional). It's a framework through which I apply critical thinking skills more effectively.

The main concept is looking forward to determine what all the possible outcomes and best outcomes are for everyone involved in a situation, and then reasoning backward to determine what all parties are likely to do to get there, given that they know everyone is else is making those same calculations.

I hope that's helpful.

I'm not sure how much of critical thinking skill is learn-able/teachable vs just being innate, but if you do hear of other books along those lines would you please post them, too?

Enjoy!

yorkie's picture

 The one I have found most useful is

Getting Critical

Author Kate Williams

ISBN 978-0-230-58476-1

This book is might for study, it really helped me to understand what this actually was.

Yorkie UK