A solid explanation of Stefan's mindset.

Also many of the best arguments from his videos are here. I recommend getting both the Kindle and audiobook, especially now that Stefan can't use YouTube.

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Something to ponder...

The density of the content is so high that listening to it once is not enough. As someone who listened to the author's shows for years, none of it was new to me. :)

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Fantastic. Important message for mankind.

The question is: do you want mankind to progress or not. This book will can provide relief of human suffering. The sharks are still in the water, but this book will help you spot them and warn others not to get eaten by them.
www.freedomainradio.com
Det er en fantastisk bog.
Allan Nygaard Jensen

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3 people found this helpful

Point perfect in The Argument

This is a fabulous read/listen for anyone who sees irrationality all around them, though when they point it out, is hounded by the utterly irrational sophist that hangs like a dark cloud over ever rational debate.

This book helps us to understand The Argument, to understand the rain of sophistry that eventually comes down on a reasonable debate when an opponant can't refute an uncomfortable truth. It helps us understand their vicious irrational, incapable acceptence of truth, and it teaches us how to deal with these lost souls.

Not only are we taught to understand The argument, but dotted throughout is a plethora of social issues that cause debate and the eventual encounter of sophistry, but I found it helped me understand these social issues further myself.

If you want to fight for truth, to rid the world of the continued brainwashing and purposeful dumbing down of future generations, the driving out of their ability to think for themselves, read this book, then pass it on. Not just physically, but pass on Molyeux's exceptional wisdom in ever day life by telling others, by not being afraid to fight for truth.

I'd recommend this to anyone who's not only into philosophy, but anyone who believes the lies are getting to much, lies that are lately beginning to overshadow the truth. We need brave people to spread this wisdom, regardless how much resistance you encounter.

The Art of the Argument could be one of the most important books of our time. Five stars from me.

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7 people found this helpful

Outstanding arguments!

A seriously powerful book with depth, clarity and vigor right throughout.
This is a great advance for reason and overall mind blowing work.
To me, this is Stefan's greatest work to date along side Universally Preferable Behaviour.
It strikes at the heart of the problems we're facing like a knife.
Even if you've never read his other works or are new to philosophy, I would recommend it as he breaks down and builds up his arguments from the ground up, in detail with great imaginative examples that I really enjoyed.
I was put off at first by how short the book is, but having finished it was surprised how much is packed into this bomb of a book.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to understand logic, reason, science, philosophy politics and psychology. He has most of it covered here and it's very important information that we all can benefit from. "Philosophy is dangerous" speech is in here, and it really moved me.
This book is dangerous because it will upset many sophists around you. That's what makes it so important. I am really impressed and I think it will impress any rational mind.

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Read this book

Amazing, join the fight for logic and rationality now. Well written, well read, well worth reading.

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If you have a brain, you need this

Fantastic and well explained. Stefan is one of the greatest thinkers of our time. Excellent

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4 people found this helpful

Brilliant and Necessary

Thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing. Made me appreciate the argument for what it is. I needed to hear this.

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Lacking substance and disturbingly arrogant

Although I disagree with the author's politics, I knew that when I bought the book. That isn't the problem. I think everybody should read material written by those whose opinions differ from their own - if they don't, there's no opportunity to exchange and debate ideas, or to persuade people to change their views. You can't have confidence in your own views if you haven't tested them or allowed others to challenge them. I'm willing to give a high rating to a book by an author I disagree with if it's well written.

The problem with this book is that it claims to be a manual setting out techniques of debate and rhetoric, when in fact there's really not much to it. What it really consists of is an opinionated rant, written in a weirdly unpleasant and arrogant tone. The author uses examples of supposed sophistry (many of which are flawed) purely to express his political opinions and to make quite childish and often ad hominem digs at those with differing opinions. If he were really interested in analysing debating techniques, he would include (better) examples of effective arguments contrary, or unrelated, to his own political views.

There's something else about his style which grates. At times, he sounds like he's giving a speech at a political rally, knowingly and cynically pushing certain buttons to whip up popular support. It's fundamentally condescending. I suspect this book, along with his podcasts, is largely aimed at a young and impressionable audience looking for guidance and direction, and he knows what he needs to do to appeal to them. In that sense, it isn't really an "argument" at all, but rather a piece of propaganda. He is, in fact, the sophist all along.

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1 person found this helpful

Not what I was expecting.

Not what was sold in the description. One of my least favourite books. For a philosopher it almost felt like his views were being forced on me, with opinions being quickly and almost unnoticeably passed off as facts. I almost feel that the author was looking down on me and a lot of other people. Too politically linked for me, and although I didn't disagree with everything I feel the writing drifted from the title of the book.

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6 people found this helpful