Thought Experiments

by Roy Sorensen

Can merely thinking about an imaginary situation provide evidence for how the world actually is--or how it ought to be? In this lively book, Roy A. Sorensen addresses this question with an analysis of a wide variety of thought experiments ranging from aesthetics to zoology. Presenting the first general theory of thought experiment, he sets it within an evolutionary framework and integrates recent advances in experimental psychology and the history of science, with special emphasis on Ernst Mach and Thomas Kuhn.

Sorensen explores what thought experiments are, how they work, and what their virtues and vices are. In his 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. Sorensen assesses the hazards of thought experiments and grants that there are interesting ways in which the method leads us astray, but attacks most scepticism about thought experiments as arbitrary. He maintains that they should be used--as they generally are--as part of a diversified portfolio of techniques, creating a network of cross-checks that make for impressive reliability.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Science

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Ruward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Completely stuffed with all kinds of thought experiments, from physics to ethics to consciousness. Chapter 6 outs forward a modal logical structure that i think is particularly helpful for shedding light on how to classify the various positions and counter positions that controversial TEs attract, and which I have used for my own work. The book is a nice read, but very dense. Sometimes I would have liked specific examples to be explained more carefully and in more detail (but that might've made the book twice as voluminous). Philosophers and scientists should read this!