Rights statement: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Thought experiments. (2005) Metaphilosophy. 36: 328 -347 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.14679973.2005.00372.x/abstract. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Thought experiments
AU - Cooper, R. V.
N1 - This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Thought experiments. (2005) Metaphilosophy. 36: 328 -347 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.14679973.2005.00372.x/abstract. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
PY - 2005/4
Y1 - 2005/4
N2 - This paper seeks to explain how thought experiments work, and also the reasons why they can fail. The paper is split into four sections. The first argues that thought experiments in philosophy and science should be treated together. The second examines existing accounts of thought experiments, and shows why they are inadequate. The third proposes a better account of thought experiments. According to this account, a thought experimenter manipulates her world view in accord with the �what if� questions posed by a thought experiment. When all necessary manipulations are carried through the result is either a consistent model, or contradiction. If a consistent model is achieved the thought experimenter can conclude that the scenario is possible, if a consistent model cannot be constructed then the scenario is not possible. The fourth section of the paper uses this account to shed light on the circumstances in which thought experiments fail.
AB - This paper seeks to explain how thought experiments work, and also the reasons why they can fail. The paper is split into four sections. The first argues that thought experiments in philosophy and science should be treated together. The second examines existing accounts of thought experiments, and shows why they are inadequate. The third proposes a better account of thought experiments. According to this account, a thought experimenter manipulates her world view in accord with the �what if� questions posed by a thought experiment. When all necessary manipulations are carried through the result is either a consistent model, or contradiction. If a consistent model is achieved the thought experimenter can conclude that the scenario is possible, if a consistent model cannot be constructed then the scenario is not possible. The fourth section of the paper uses this account to shed light on the circumstances in which thought experiments fail.
KW - Thought experiment
KW - Thomas Kuhn
KW - John Norton
KW - James Brown.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-9973.2005.00372.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-9973.2005.00372.x
M3 - Journal article
VL - 36
SP - 328
EP - 347
JO - Metaphilosophy
JF - Metaphilosophy
SN - 0026-1068
IS - 3
ER -