Aristotle and an Aardvark Go To Washington: Understanding Political Doublespeak Through Philosophy and Jokes

A hilarious collection of political quotes, exposing logical fallacies (better known as bulls**t) of the quoters - by the authors of the best seller "Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar" - a similar treatise on philosophy.Some are just white lies: President Reagan's aide Michael Deaver was asked how the President had reacted to Congress's authorization of the sale of planes to Saudi Arabia. Deaver quickly said, "The President said, "Thank God." Actually, the President had said, "I feel like I've just crapped a pineapple."But some are blatantly transparent: "It's a success that hasn't occurred yet. I don't know that I'd call that a failure." - Homeland Security Advisor Townsend on why bin Laden had not yet been captured.Some involve shooting the arrow at a barn, then drawing the bulls-eye around wherever the arrow landed: The wednesday after 9/11, Rumsfeld complained there were no decent targets for bombing in Afganistan and we should consider bombing Iraq, which had better targets.Special sections for all occasions, such as how a politician can avoid apologizing: "Mistakes were made" - Nixon about Watergate, Alberto Gonzales about his attorney-generalship. For those who can't resist puzzles, a pop quiz is provided at the end - you get to match various quotes with their corresponding logical fallacies.Text is quick to read, hard to put down, and completely entertaining - the book leaves you wanting more. There are 22 excellent all-purpose political cartoons, mostly from "New Yorker" magazine. The authors mix in some great jokes when needed to further illustrate a point. As Will Rogers said, "There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you."

I used to teach a senior-level university course in propaganda. If I had known about this book, I would have assigned it. It is funny and instructive while giving relatively recent examples of logical errors in political thought.

All Klein's books are outstanding: engaging, witty, informative, thought provoking, readable, accessible. Let no effete philosophers and others in any way denigrate these absolute gems. I want many more -- Kant and a Kangeroo..., Sartre and Seinfeld..., Socrates and a Neuroscientist..., Schopenhauer and Estragon..., Please write several more! Also love the Great Barrington-based novels. Wonderful all. Keep them coming. Don't ever die!

I watched the authors on C-SPAN during their book tour and was intrigued.I just bought the book, and I am... disappointed.Oh, the jokes are amusing enough, and the explanation of logical fallacies is dead simple to understand, and the examples given are spot on- let's make no dispute on that. A quick reading of this book will educate the thoughtful mind on exactly how and where our leaders are trying to fool us.The problem is that, well, it's a quick read. It's too quick. It is, to be frank, shallow- a quick dip on each topic, then rushing on to the next, without fully developing or explaining any one item, much less all of them. This is a book to which the word "profound" need not apply; there are no openings available.The book also suffers from leaning too heavily on the Bush administration for examples. True, George W. Bush and his cronies have raised lying to the voters to new heights, but there needs to be political balance in an educational work such as this; otherwise a large portion of the readership will tune it out as being partisan. I say again, Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Gonzales, Rice, and the rest of the Bush White House employ logical fallacies and outright deception like Olympic champions- but that's no excuse for failing to give more than token gestures to demonstrating Democrats' equally offensive use of the tactics.One final quibble: if you can use the eight letter word for bovine excreta without censorship, you can use its four letter root word without censorship. If you can't say the word without blanking out letters in the w--d, you shouldn't use the word at all. Please don't treat your readers like little kids, especially since little kids know quite well what "the F word" is- even if they might not know what it means.

This is a very funny book. Cathcart and Klein are more insightful than any of the broadcast journalists. They seem to understand Washington and use their understanding as a basis of humor.I enjoyed this book almost as much as their other, similar, book: Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes I enjoyed this book and wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

This book is okay. The "Plato and Platypus" book by these authors is much better.

This is a very funny book. Cathcart and Klein are more insightful than any of the broadcast journalists. They seem to understand Washington and use their understanding as a basis of humor.I enjoyed this book almost as much as their other, similar, book: Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes I enjoyed this book and wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

I loved "Plato and a platypus" and am working my way through the series. I was literally doubled over laughing at "Plato/platyput". Although the positions the authors endorse are quite undeniably left of center throughout the book (what could you expect from two men who spent a good span of their life studying philosophy?) I still found it hilarious and real page turner. I will have to buy the next one.

Arrived somewhat late hence the 4 star rating otherwise book in perfect condition, excellent price

Great and funny book, just like their previous ones.

Informative and very funny

Ja, hauptsächlich geht es um das "political doublespeak", um Rhetorik in der Politik also. Und ja, etwas sehr konzentriert ist das Ganze schon auf "Washington", auf die amerikanischen Verhältnisse also.Obwohl der Titel in diesem Sinne jedoch ein eher enges Thema andeutet, ist das Buch weit mehr als ein lockerer Kommentar zur hintersinnigen Phrasendrescherei amerikanischer Politiker. Geboten wird vielmehr ein ebensowohl komischer wie lehrreicher Überblick über Möglichkeiten und Fallstricke der Rhetorik im Allgmeinen und der politischen Rhetorik (auch der deutschen) im Besonderen.Das Buch erschien fast zeitgleich mit dem auch auf deutsch erschienen Klassiker "Platon und das Schnabeltier"  Platon und Schnabeltier gehen in eine Bar...: Philosophie verstehen durch Witze , in dem dieselben Autoren im Medium kluger Witze in Kernprobleme der Philosophie einführen. Hier nun also ein ähnliches Programm für die Rhetorik. Wie "Platon und das Schnabeltier" bietet auch dieses Buch eine Vielzahl von witzigen Pointen, über die der eine Leser gut schmunzeln kann, die die andere Leserin aber auch gut in der Lehre einsetzen kann, wann immer es in Unterricht oder Seminar um rhetorische Fallstricke und Tricks geht. Wobei der Begriff der Rhetorik so weit reicht, dass auch der naturalistische Fehlschluss und ähnliche philosophische Probleme noch mit versorgt werden.Glänzend gemacht und äußerst unterhaltsam. Man wundert sich, dass es noch keine deutsche Übersetzung gibt. Platon und Schnabeltier gehen in eine Bar...: Philosophie verstehen durch Witze

This is an awesome book from the series. Not as funny as the original one from the authors