Category: Random Thoughts (Page 2 of 4)

As a rule, I try not to criticize books or authors. I figure if they managed to write it and publish it, even if self published, who am I to criticize. I’m lucky if I manage to write a readable post let alone a book.

However, even I have my limits. I bought a book last week about Critical Thinking. I didn’t read the reviews or apparently do any other thinking before making this purchase.

The authors are Simon Bradly and Nicole Price, I have no idea if these are real names, but I doubt it. I had to pull this book out of the trash to share those names with you.

I have a ? mark next to the first paragraph because the reasoning is questionable at best – but the book went into the trash after I read this sentence – written after about 150 words on the history of critical thinking – “This but forwards the arguments and proves the existence of God.” WTF??

Then I read the reviews – enough said.

Here is a list of well received books on Critical Thinking –

Introductory

• Critical Thinking by William Hughes and Jonathan Lavery
  Widely used in college courses. Offers practical tools for analyzing arguments, identifying fallacies, and constructing logical reasoning. (This one wasn’t that easy to find and it’s $63 on Kindle!)
• Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking by M. Neil Browne & Stuart M. Keeley
  Very accessible. Focuses on questioning assumptions and evaluating arguments. Great for real-life application, especially for students and professionals. (also $70+)

I haven’t read either so can’t comment.

Per ChatGPT – More Rigorous or Philosophical

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Not a critical thinking manual per se, but it’s essential reading for understanding cognitive biases and decision-making flaws.

How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler & Charles Van Doren
Classic guide to analytical reading, closely aligned with deeper levels of critical thinking. You’ve mentioned reading this already—it’s foundational.

Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking by D.Q. McInerny
Short and clear. More formal in tone, based on classical logic and reasoning structure.

Critical Thinking In Practice again, per ChatGPT

• The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan
  A passionate defense of scientific skepticism. Teaches critical thinking through real-world examples and advocacy for rational inquiry.
• Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World by Carl Bergstrom & Jevin West
  Timely and practical. Focuses on spotting misinformation, especially in statistics, graphs, and media.

“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.”

Andre Gide

I just purchased his book Show Your Work, dreaded words from math class in my day.

But that’s not what this book is about. And it’s not what this TED Talk is about

April 21, 2025

Well, a couple of things. First, I don’t feel right sharing the full contents of Ryan Holiday’s Reading Challenge, it’s a paid course so that doesn’t feel ethical. I will say I’m disappointed in the course. I signed up hoping it would help me improve my reading and comprehension skills, but so far, it doesn’t seem like that’s what the course delivers.

That realization sent me back to my own bookshelf, where I pulled out Mortimer J. Adler’s How to Read a Book. This is my third try with it. The first two times? Practically unreadable. But this time, it’s working for me.

I’m not reading it cover to cover and that probably helps. I’ll read everything, probably more than once, just not in the order delivered.

March 25th, 2025

As I read, highlight, take notes, and attempt to post about what I’m reading, I feel increasingly challenged to get more out of the reading I’m doing. That’s what Ryan’s course is all about. I’m going to go ahead and post about the whole 5-week experience here, and we’ll see if I feel like I’m a better reader at the end. The cost was $99. We shall see.

Mar 26th, 2025

The first email and the first challenge. There was a lot in this email – 2 or 3 videos and lots of reference material. I spent about 90 min with it this morning. The first thing is to start a Commonplace Book, or if you already have one to, use it differently. I, of course, have my Zettlekasten, which serves the same purpose. However, I am considering using it differently, more actively than I’m currently using it. Ryan is a big fan of analog notes – I am not – but I may try them for one book, The Laws of Human Nature – I will probably also add them to my digital Zettlekasten. I don’t want to write off a practice that is used by the likes of Ryan Holiday, Robert Greene, and Ronald Reagan.

Ryan H. writes his notes by hand a couple of weeks after he finishes a book – I will probably do it chapter by chapter.

Just getting back here after the holidays. Grammarly doesn’t like it when I leave out words – but isn’t it apparent that I’m just getting back? Seeing as how I’m the only one writing on this blog?

Anyway, I’m checking out ShortForm – it’s a book summary service, and I’m doing a 5-day free trial – I’m testing it on Thinking Fast and Slow – an extremely well- reviewed book, referenced I swear, in over 50% of the books I’ve read in the last 2 years. But I hated reading it.

I see from my notes I downloaded it with Ninja Summary as well, but it looks like I never read it.

We’ll see how it works out, here’s the revised post …

Mental Models and Second-Order Thinking

This is the time of year I start asking myself – what do I wish I’d started at this time last year – no, to be more concise what do I wish I’d started and consistently kept doing since this time last year?

Or I’m asking myself that question because I just read a the chapter on 2nd Order Thinking in Shane Parrishe’s 1st edition of Mental Models. Deciding whether or not I was going to sit down and record the books I’ve been reading – as I said I was going to do last year. I suppose this isn’t a precise application – in fact it might be a combination of several of the mental models he’s written about – inversion – instead of asking or before I ask – what will happen if I record all of the books I read – here on this website – I’m asking what would have been the consequences of having done it already. Every year I wish I had kept track of everything I’d read and every year I don’t.

What if I’d started doing 1 actionable thing from every non-fiction book I’ve read going back for all time – my time that is. Had I done that how might my life be different (thought experiment)

Honestly, just adding the books is work, let alone writing about them! I’ve read hundreds of business books and even more fiction and done very little with it. Thus, my Zettlekasten and this attempt to think about and use what I’m reading. At this stage a rather poor attempt, but an attempt nevertheless.

June 29th 2024

Well it’s been a minute. I am dismayed as usual about a number of things.

1. My lack of progress here.

2. The fact that I have not finished writing my Zettlekasten article or attempted to publish it.

3. The fact that I still haven’t figured out if I can publish the same article here and on Medium.

Well really that’s it – not so bad I guess. In the meantime I’ve made a lot of progress on my Cash In site – that’s where I make a living so I suppose it’s okay.

On Cash In I’ve been okay with publishing on my site even though an article isn’t finished or perfect – if I can do it there I can do it here. Then I’ll figure out the Medium thing.