An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments by Ali Almossawi
[Originally written 5/24/2020]
Reading feels like a lot more work and mental strain compared to going on Netflix, but in the past few days I’ve had the irresistible urge to get back into it. A long time ago, while I was scouring through my local Barnes & Noble, I picked up a book called “An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments” by Ali Almossawi. A couple years and a quarantine later, I decided to actually give it a try.
Opinion: Everybody should learn from this book.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re the kid on the debate team or part of what America’s founding fathers called “the idiocy of the masses”, this book and the principles it illustrates hold timeless lessons on the art of logic. The book takes a unique approach to explaining logical processes: by feeding you bad arguments. Learning from mistakes is one of the best ways to learn, and learning from mistakes with cute animal illustrations that display logical fallacies is an even better way!
It’s a quick read, and one of my favorite parts about the experience is that almost all of the cases are things you would see in everyday life. I found myself taking pictures and sending them to friends who employ these *foolish* tactics (don’t worry I do too :P) in our daily arguments. Things like strawmanning or ad hominem are logical fallacies that will click with anybody part of Holmdel High School’s illustrious Politics Club, whose base of conservative students never fail to diverge from the item at hand. Just kidding, the liberals do it too (sometimes).
You can find the book online for free now at: https://bookofbadarguments.com/