In a philosophical polemic in the tradition of On Bullshit, James Garvey mourns the death of proper debate and reminds us of the value of rational argument. Philosopher James Garvey--described by the Guardian as having "a delicious style, often very funny, and a trick of ushering the reader right inside his thought experiments"--writes clearly and entertainingly about the dangers we face when we lose our grip on persuasion by rational means. But The Persuaders isn't just a requiem for rationality. It's a call to think again about the way we think now.