Preface he or she knows best? Critical thinking can help answer that question. It pro- vides a set of filters that expert opinion needs to get through before you rely on it. In other words, all expert advice is not equally valuable. Critical thinking enables us to be more sensibly selective among experts. Our experience in teaching critical-thinking skills to our students overa number of years has convinced us that when individuals with diverse abilities are taught these skills in a simplified format, they can learn to apply them suc cessfully. In the process, they develop greater confidence in their ability to make rational choices about social issues, even those with which they have formerly had little experience Thus, we have written a text that does a number of things that other books have failed to do. This text develops an integrated series of question- asking skills that can be applied widely. These skills are discussed in an infor- mal style. (We have written to a general audience, not to any specialized group. The development of Asking the right Questions has leaned heavily on our joint experience of 65 years as teachers of critical thinking. Our ideas have evolved in response to numerous classroom experiences with students at many different levels, from freshman to Ph. D. students hese experiences have taught us certain emphases that are particularly effective in learning critical thinking. For instance, we provide many opportu- nities for the readers to apply their skills and to receive immediate feedback following the practice application. The book is replete with examples of writ- g devoted to controversial contemporary topics. The breadth of topics introduces the average reader to numerous controversies with which he may have little familiarity. The book is coherently organized, in that critical ques tions are discussed sequentially as the reader progresses from understanding to evaluating One feature that deserves to be highlighted is the applicability of Asking the Right Questions to numerous life experiences extending far beyond classroom. The habits and attitudes associated with critical thinking are trans- ferable to consumer, medical, legal, and general ethical choices. When our surgeon says surgery is needed, it can be life sustaining to seek answers to th critical questions encouraged in Asking the Right Questions Who would find Asking the Right Questions especially beneficial? Because of our teaching experiences with readers representing many different levels of ability, we have difficulty envisioning any academic course or program for which this book would not be useful. In fact. the first seven editions have been used in law, English, pharmacy, philosophy, education, psychology, sociology, religio and social science courses, as well as in numerous high-school classrooms.Preface xi he or she knows best? Critical thinking can help answer that question. It pro￾vides a set of filters that expert opinion needs to get through before you rely on it. In other words, all expert advice is not equally valuable. Critical thinking enables us to be more sensibly selective among experts. Our experience in teaching critical-thinking skills to our students over a number of years has convinced us that when individuals with diverse abilities are taught these skills in a simplified format, they can learn to apply them suc￾cessfully. In the process, they develop greater confidence in their ability to make rational choices about social issues, even those with which they have formerly had little experience. Thus, we have written a text that does a number of things that other books have failed to do. This text develops an integrated series of question￾asking skills that can be applied widely. These skills are discussed in an infor￾mal style. (We have written to a general audience, not to any specialized group.) The development of Asking the Right Questions has leaned heavily on our joint experience of 65 years as teachers of critical thinking. Our ideas have evolved in response to numerous classroom experiences with students at many different levels, from freshman to Ph.D. students. These experiences have taught us certain emphases that are particularly effective in learning critical thinking. For instance, we provide many opportu￾nities for the readers to apply their skills and to receive immediate feedback following the practice application. The book is replete with examples of writ￾ing devoted to controversial contemporary topics. The breadth of topics introduces the average reader to numerous controversies with which he may have little familiarity. The book is coherently organized, in that critical ques￾tions are discussed sequentially as the reader progresses from understanding to evaluating. One feature that deserves to be highlighted is the applicability of Asking the Right Questions to numerous life experiences extending far beyond the classroom. The habits and attitudes associated with critical thinking are trans￾ferable to consumer, medical, legal, and general ethical choices. When our surgeon says surgery is needed, it can be life sustaining to seek answers to the critical questions encouraged in Asking the Right Questions. Who would find Asking the Right Questions especially beneficial? Because of our teaching experiences with readers representing many different levels of ability, we have difficulty envisioning any academic course or program for which this book would not be useful. In fact, the first seven editions have been used in law, English, pharmacy, philosophy, education, psychology, sociology, religion, and social science courses, as well as in numerous high-school classrooms