The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies {review + giveaway}

We received a free product for the purpose of writing this review. Our family only reviews items that we actually find valuable and are able to be 100% honest about regarding our experience. We received no monetary compensation for our opinion. Links contained in this post may direct to affiliate sites.

It’s a shame that the idea of teaching logic– and I’m talking actual logic here, not “critical thinking”– has fallen out of vogue in modern education. Take a casual glance at media outlets and social platforms and you’ll be greeted with dozens of situations crying out for the application of some very elementary-level rebuttals and yet … there are so few people with the know-how to identify what’s wrong with the group think being offered up around the world today.

It’s a little depressing out there, folks.

I’m not a hardcore Classical educator, but I believe in the purposeful teaching of logic as an independent discipline. It’s usefulness was apparent to me when my oldest children were barely school-age, and prickling at being called to task for misbehavior.

Me: “I can see you’re angry right now.”
Child: “Yes!”
Me: “That makes sense. I’d be angry, too.”
Child (slightly disarmed): “You would be?”
Me: “Absolutely. But let me ask you a question– with whom should you be angry?”
Child: “You!”
Me: “Because I disobeyed the hard and fast rule?”
Child (confused): “Nooooo….”
Me: “But you are angry with me. I must have done something wrong.”
Child: “You… you…”
Me: “Who actually broke the rules here?”
Child (thinking): “Ummm… me.”
Me: “Right. So you should be angry at ….?”
Child (admitting defeat): “Myself.”

I can’t tell you how many times I have had that exact conversation with pretty much every.single.one of my children. It’s pretty banal at this point. And yet … it smacks of the root of what’s wrong with the arguments of our entire nation, I think.

We can’t identify a fallacy if it bites us on the bum.

Got in trouble? It’s the fault of the rule enforcer.
Want something to be true? Repeat it until it sounds right.
Want to know the best outcome? Insist that a poll of your peers will suffice.
Want to ensure results? Limit choices.
Uncomfortable with legislation? Let your feelings lead the way.

So what’s a homeschooler to do? If, like me, you attended public school, the learning curve will be steep indeed. There are magnificent formal logic tools available on the curriculum market. But what if you’d like something slightly less structured? Something conversational, instructive, engaging, and entertaining all at once.

I’ve got you covered: The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies, by Douglas Wilson and N.D. Wilson.

Seriously, this is one of those books that ought to find a home on the shelf of every homeschooler if only as a reference, something to be pulled down and flipped through whenever an obvious bit of obnoxious illogical thinking finds its way into your ears. Written in a casual yet not dumbed-down style, The Bestiary (as it’s known here) adds an element of zoomorphism to the missteps of logic that run rampant in the presenting of facts.

Dr. Ransom's review + giveaway

AD BACULUM

This fallacy, in a nutshell, wants you to see things its way or it will beat you with a stick. Now a stick is one way to do it, but this may be extended metaphorically to any number of artificially arranged consequences of negative nature. If one looks at the size of the Whooping Beetle’s forelegs, it looks at those this pugnacious little critter really can fulfill his threats — although most of the time just the threat is good enough.

Each short chapter gives an introduction to an elaborately illustrated “beast” whose appearance is, indeed, adorable. A fictitious example of interaction with the fallacy invariably leads to the fallacy revealing its true nature— and this is the part your children won’t forget. The reek of the Red Herring. The squid-like pull of Compromise. The assault-at-the-ready of the Loaded Question. With these images stored away in their memory, children (and adults!) can more easily access the truth behind an argument laden with fallacy … and fend it off.

Like any great resource, The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies is flexible. Each chapter is followed by a handful of discussion questions, as well as exercises in identifying fallacies. Those exercises build on one another; the fallacies presented in the statements can be from any previous chapters as well as the current. Fifty fallacies are presented overall, and an answer key is located at the back of the book. Two schedules for study are suggested in the appendix. A homeschooling parent might present this book to their student for independent study, or utilize it in a one-on-one instruction time with current events at the ready. Our family has chosen a third option. We’ve giggled our way through our “older group” evening read-aloud time with The Bestiary, laughing at the over-the-top examples, but finding more than adequate fodder in society and history to keep a passionate discussion going for well over an hour.

Dr. Ransom's review + giveaway

You won’t be surprised at all to find that an inventive, engaging book like this is part of one of Timberdoodle’s Complete Homeschool Curriculum Kits (10th grade, specifically). Taking a needful topic and finding an out-of-the-box way to educate— not just teach— is their specialty!

Dr. Ransom's review + giveaway

Want a copy of The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies of your own? Timberdoodle is graciously giving away a copy to TWO readers of To Sow a Seed. Enter below for your chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

31 thoughts on “The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies {review + giveaway}

  1. I wasn’t taught logic, and it is a difficult subject for me. We’ve been doing Fallacy Detective, but I’m always looking for more ways to add logic in.

  2. I actually took a logic course in high school. It was one of my favorite classes!

  3. This looks great, Heather! What ages do you feel like this best suits? Who taught me logic during my childhood…I’m not sure. I was born with a logical/analytical bent. Even as a kid, I couldn’t stand the Saturday morning cartoons my brothers would watch…to me, even as a child, the scenarios weren’t funny unless there was a bit of logic/reality. The Road Runner and Coyote getting flattened and surviving? Blown up? Nope, not funny to me at all.

  4. I never had any formal logic teaching when I was in school, nor was I taught to identify fallacies. Whatever skill I have in that department came from teaching at church, and as I later started homeschooling my own children. 😉

  5. This looks really great! I never had any formal logic training, but would love to remedy that along with teaching my kids!

  6. We spend time talking about the slant on issues we see in our society and consider the source. I like that this seems a bit more structured and would be a great starting point for discussions around here.

  7. I was not taught logic in school. Such a great subject and sadly overlooked. Thanks for this review. I wasn’t aware of this book. Would love to add it to our studies!

  8. “We can’t identify a fallacy if it bites us on the bum.” Snort. :) I was not taught logic in a structured way, but I have two logic-oriented parents, so it was caught instead of taught. I have done some formally with my kids and D will doing a logic credit next year.

  9. I was never taught formal logic in school, but it seems to be one of those things I have a natural inclination for. I was always frustrated in school when teachers would violate the principles of logic but I didn’t know how to counter the fallacies. I’ve been using The Fallacy Detective and The Thinking Toolbox with my kids. This looks like a great resource too.

  10. I’d love to enter to win a copy! I really want a less formal type of logic I can do casually with my older kids, and this looks like it hits the mark. 😊

  11. This looks fun! My kids love this sort of thing.

  12. I wish I had this as a kid! Never learned logic in school, but came to appreciate it’s value later on in life.

  13. I did logic as a part of my elementary gifted curriculum. We even had a logic bowl! If it weren’t for that program, it wouldn’t have been taught to me at all.

  14. No, I wasn’t taught logic in school. I plan to make sure my boys are though.

  15. I was never taught logic in school, I would like to have something to help me teach my boys.

  16. I was not taught logic in my public school education, but I learned to love it in college, and taught it when I worked at a private high school.

  17. I wasn’t taught logic in school. Need to read this book for me and my kids!

  18. I was not taught logic in school but I have taught it to my kids! This book looks great!

  19. This sounds delightful! I definitely was not taught logic in high school, other than some basic terms when studying literature and writing. I would learn just as much as my children would from this book!

  20. I was definitely not taught logic in school but I am making sure my kids have it! So important!

  21. I was in college, but never that I can recall up to that point. What an interesting and fun sounding book!!

  22. We had no subject directly called Logic or Thinking Skills when I was in school. :)

  23. I was only taught logic during one school year, it was in a gifted student program. Thank you for the review and giveaway!

  24. I was not taught logic as a child, and apparently, I’m not teaching my kids, either! Your example of who they should be mad at if they do something wrong is totally being added to my routine.

  25. I was taught some logic in school and would love this book to help be able to explain it clearly to my children! We love Timberdoodle!

  26. No I was sadly not taught any chuckle logic as a youngster. I’m really hoping to teach my littles.

  27. I didn’t learn any logic in public school. Finally got to learn a bit in a college philosophy class. I agree, our children should learn this. Early and often! :)

  28. I was not taught logic, but I am learning alongside my boys!

  29. I was not taught logic. I have logic to my kids.

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