Thought Experiments In Philosophy

Author : Melanie Frappier,Letitia Meynell,James Robert Brown
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 284 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2012-09-10
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781136285998

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Thought Experiments in Science, Philosophy, and the Arts by Melanie Frappier,Letitia Meynell,James Robert Brown Pdf

From Lucretius throwing a spear beyond the boundary of the universe to Einstein racing against a beam of light, thought experiments stand as a fascinating challenge to the necessity of data in the empirical sciences. Are these experiments, conducted uniquely in our imagination, simply rhetorical devices or communication tools or are they an essential part of scientific practice? This volume surveys the current state of the debate and explores new avenues of research into the epistemology of thought experiments.

Author : Peg Tittle
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 296 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2016-05-23
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781315509310

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What If... by Peg Tittle Pdf

What If. . .Collected Thought Experiments in Philosophy is a brief collection of over 100 classic and contemporary “thought experiments,” each exploring an important philosophical argument. These thought experiments introduce students to the kind of disciplined thought required in philosophy, and awaken their intellectual curiosity. Featuring a clear and conversational writing style that doesn't dilute the ideas, the value of the book is in its simplicity–in both format and tone. Each thought experiment is accompanied by commentary from the author that explains its importance and provides thought-provoking questions, all encapsulated on two pages.

Author : Michael T Stuart,Yiftach Fehige,James Robert Brown
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 709 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2017-07-20
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781351705516

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The Routledge Companion to Thought Experiments by Michael T Stuart,Yiftach Fehige,James Robert Brown Pdf

Thought experiments are a means of imaginative reasoning that lie at the heart of philosophy, from the pre-Socratics to the modern era, and they also play central roles in a range of fields, from physics to politics. The Routledge Companion to Thought Experiments is an invaluable guide and reference source to this multifaceted subject. Comprising over 30 chapters by a team of international contributors, the Companion covers the following important areas: · the history of thought experiments, from antiquity to the trolley problem and quantum non-locality; · thought experiments in the humanities, arts, and sciences, including ethics, physics, theology, biology, mathematics, economics, and politics; · theories about the nature of thought experiments; · new discussions concerning the impact of experimental philosophy, cross-cultural comparison studies, metaphilosophy, computer simulations, idealization, dialectics, cognitive science, the artistic nature of thought experiments, and metaphysical issues. This broad ranging Companion goes backwards through history and sideways across disciplines. It also engages with philosophical perspectives from empiricism, rationalism, naturalism, skepticism, pluralism, contextualism, and neo-Kantianism to phenomenology. This volume will be valuable for anyone studying the methods of philosophy or any discipline that employs thought experiments, as well as anyone interested in the power and limits of the mind.

Author : Mélanie Frappier,Letitia Meynell,James Robert Brown
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 284 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2013
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780415885447

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Thought Experiments in Philosophy, Science, and the Arts by Mélanie Frappier,Letitia Meynell,James Robert Brown Pdf

From Lucretius throwing a spear beyond the boundary of the universe to Einstein racing against a beam of light, thought experiments stand as a fascinating challenge to the necessity of data in the empirical sciences. Are these experiments, conducted uniquely in our imagination, simply rhetorical devices or communication tools or are they an essential part of scientific practice? This volume surveys the current state of the debate and explores new avenues of research into the epistemology of thought experiments.

Author : Roy A. Sorensen Associate Professor of Philosophy New York University
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 334 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 1992-08-06
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780198023807

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Thought Experiments by Roy A. Sorensen Associate Professor of Philosophy New York University Pdf

Sorensen presents a general theory of thought experiments: what they are, how they work, what are their virtues and vices. On Sorensen's view, philosophy differs from science in degree, but not in kind. For this reason, he claims, it is possible to understand philosophical thought experiments by concentrating on their resemblance to scientific relatives. Lessons learned about scientific experimentation carry over to thought experiment, and vice versa. Sorensen also assesses the hazards and pseudo-hazards of thought experiments. Although he grants that there are interesting ways in which the method leads us astray, he attacks most scepticism about thought experiments as arbitrary. They should be used, he says, as they generally are used--as part of a diversified portfolio of techniques. All of these devices are individually susceptible to abuse, fallacy, and error. Collectively, however, they provide a network of cross-checks that make for impressive reliability.

Author : Peg Tittle
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2016-05-23
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781315509327

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What If... by Peg Tittle Pdf

What If. . .Collected Thought Experiments in Philosophy is a brief collection of over 100 classic and contemporary “thought experiments,” each exploring an important philosophical argument. These thought experiments introduce students to the kind of disciplined thought required in philosophy, and awaken their intellectual curiosity. Featuring a clear and conversational writing style that doesn't dilute the ideas, the value of the book is in its simplicity–in both format and tone. Each thought experiment is accompanied by commentary from the author that explains its importance and provides thought-provoking questions, all encapsulated on two pages.

Author : Nenad Miscevic
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2021-09-29
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9783030810825

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Thought Experiments by Nenad Miscevic Pdf

This book offers a readable introduction to the main aspects of thought experimenting in philosophy and science (together with related imaginative activities in mathematics and linguistics). It presents the main options in understanding thought experiments, from empiricism to Platonism, and discusses their strengths and weaknesses. However, it also provides some original perspectives on the topic. Firstly, it provides a new definition and analysis of thought experimenting that brings it closer to laboratory experimenting. Secondly, it develops the author’s earlier theory of “mental modelling”, proposed some decades ago by him, and some other researchers in the field as the crucial procedure in thought experimenting. The mental modelling approach links work with thought experimenting to cognitive science and to research on mental simulation which is a hot topic in present-day research. Thirdly, it proposes a principled way to respond to criticism of thought experimenting by “experimental philosophers” as they have been dominating the present-day debates. The response suggests a possible ameliorative, self-help project for thought experimenting. Finally, the book provides a way to systematize the history of important thought experiments in science and philosophy and thus connects, in an original way, the systematic investigation of experimenting to the historical work of famous thought experiments. It is of interest to scholars interested in history of ideas and philosophy of science.

Author : Sören Häggqvist
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 210 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 1996
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : UIUC:30112042717204

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Thought Experiments in Philosophy by Sören Häggqvist Pdf

Author : Sophie Ward
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 273 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2021-09-28
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780593314319

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Love and Other Thought Experiments by Sophie Ward Pdf

This impressive debut novel, longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, takes its premise and inspiration from ten of the best-known thought experiments in philosophy—the what-ifs of philosophical investigation—and uses them to talk about love in a wholly unique way. Married couple Rachel and Eliza are considering having a child. Rachel wants one desperately, and Eliza thinks she does, too, but she can't quite seem to wrap her head around the idea. When Rachel wakes up screaming one night and tells Eliza that an ant has crawled into her eye and is stuck there, Eliza initially sees it as a cry for attention. But Rachel is adamant. She knows it sounds crazy—but she also knows it's true. As a scientist, Eliza is skeptical. Suddenly their entire relationship is called into question. What follows is a uniquely imaginative sequence of ten interconnecting episodes—each from a different character's perspective—inspired by some of the best-known thought experiments in philosophy. Together they form a sparkling philosophical tale of love lost and found across the universe.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : BRILL
Page : 243 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2011-06-09
Category : History
ISBN : 9789004201774

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Thought Experiments in Methodological and Historical Contexts by Anonim Pdf

By analysing thought experiments from various periods in the history of philosophy and science, the essays in this volume seek to clarify how thought experiments work, what their limits are, and what their conceptualisation could be.

Author : Kevin McCain
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 200 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2021-07-26
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781000417029

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Epistemology: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments by Kevin McCain Pdf

In this new kind of entrée to contemporary epistemology, Kevin McCain presents fifty of the field’s most important puzzles, paradoxes, and thought experiments. Assuming no familiarity with epistemology from the reader, McCain titles each case with a memorable name, describes the details of the case, explains the issue(s) to which the case is relevant, and assesses its significance. McCain also briefly reviews the key responses to the case that have been put forward, and provides a helpful list of suggested readings on the topic. Each entry is accessible, succinct, and self-contained. Epistemology: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments is a fantastic learning tool as well as a handy resource for anyone interested in epistemological issues. Key Features: Though concise overall, offers broad coverage of the key areas of epistemology. Describes each imaginative case directly and in a memorable way, making the cases accessible and easy to remember. Provides a list of Suggested Readings for each case, divided into General Overviews, Seminal Presentations, and Other Important Discussions.

Author : Garrett Pendergraft
Publisher : Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments in Philosophy
Page : 250 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2022-06-15
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0367641941

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Free Will and Human Agency: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments by Garrett Pendergraft Pdf

In this new kind of entrée to discussions of free will and human agency, Pendergraft illuminates 50 puzzles, paradoxes, and thought experiments. Assuming no familiarity with the topic, each chapter describes a case, explains the questions that it raises, summarizes some of the key responses, and provides suggested readings.

Author : Tamara Horowitz,Gerald J. Massey
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 1991
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : UOM:39015024978002

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Thought Experiments in Science and Philosophy by Tamara Horowitz,Gerald J. Massey Pdf

Despite their centrality and importance to both science and philosophy, relatively little has been written about thought experiments. This volume brings together a series of extremely interesting studies of the history, mechanics, and applications of this important intellectual resource. A distinguished list of philosophers and scientists consider the role of thought experiments in their various disciplines, and argue that an examination of thought experimentation goes to the heart of both science and philosophy.

Author : Ed Gibney
Publisher : Lulu.com
Page : 234 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2012-04-24
Category : Self-Help
ISBN : 9781105696602

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Evolutionary Philosophy by Ed Gibney Pdf

Evolutionary Philosophy is the foundation text for a new belief system. We are all products of evolution. Understanding all of the implications of this statement leads to a comprehensive worldview that can answer our universally shared questions: Where did I come from? What am I? What is a good life? How do I know? These questions and many more are answered in this book, before the beliefs of 60 of the top philosophers of history are put to the test in an evaluation of the survival of their fittest ideas. This is an audacious work of research and analysis from author Ed Gibney, who finishes by asking readers to help Evolutionary Philosophy to grow and adapt as mankind's knowledge continues to accumulate. This clear and accessible work promises to help you reevaluate mankind's place in the universe and your place in society.

Author : Timothy Williamson
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2020-08-27
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780198810001

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Philosophical Method: a Very Short Introduction by Timothy Williamson Pdf

What are philosophers trying to achieve? How can they succeed? Does philosophy make progress? Is it in competition with science, or doing something completely different, or neither? Timothy Williamson tackles some of the key questions surrounding philosophy in new and provocative ways, showing how philosophy begins in common sense curiosity, and develops through our capacity to dispute rationally with each other. Discussing philosophy's ability to clarify our thoughts, he explains why such clarification depends on the development of philosophical theories, and how those theories can be tested by imaginative thought experiments, and compared against each other by standards similar to those used in the natural and social sciences. He also shows how logical rigour can be understood as a way of enhancing the explanatory power of philosophical theories. Drawing on the history of philosophy to provide a track record of philosophical thinking's successes and failures, Williams overturns widely held dogmas about the distinctive nature of philosophy in comparison to the sciences, demystifies its methods, and considers the future of the discipline. From thought experiments, to deduction, to theories, this Very Short Introduction will cause you to totally rethink what philosophy is. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Previously published in hardback as Doing Philosophy