Wittgenstein's Beetle and Other Classic Thought Experiments

Wittgenstein's Beetle and Other Classic Thought Experiments PDF Author: Martin Cohen
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470777257
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 148

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Book Description
Wittgenstein’s Beetle and Other Classic Thought Experiments invites readers to participate actively in discovering the surprisingly powerful and fruitful tradition of "thought experiments." Gives a lively presentation of an "A to Z" of 26 fascinating and influential thought experiments from philosophy and science Presents vivid and often humorous discussion of the experiments, including strengths and weaknesses, historical context, and contemporary uses Provides a "how to" section for engaging in thought experiments Includes illustrations, mini-biographies, and suggestions for further reading.

Wittgenstein's Beetle and Other Classic Thought Experiments

Wittgenstein's Beetle and Other Classic Thought Experiments PDF Author: Martin Cohen
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470777257
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 148

Get Book Here

Book Description
Wittgenstein’s Beetle and Other Classic Thought Experiments invites readers to participate actively in discovering the surprisingly powerful and fruitful tradition of "thought experiments." Gives a lively presentation of an "A to Z" of 26 fascinating and influential thought experiments from philosophy and science Presents vivid and often humorous discussion of the experiments, including strengths and weaknesses, historical context, and contemporary uses Provides a "how to" section for engaging in thought experiments Includes illustrations, mini-biographies, and suggestions for further reading.

Thought Experiments in Methodological and Historical Contexts

Thought Experiments in Methodological and Historical Contexts PDF Author: Katerina Ierodiakonou
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004201769
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 244

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Book Description
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.

Thinking on Screen

Thinking on Screen PDF Author: Thomas E. Wartenberg
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135975892
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 175

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Book Description
Thinking on Screen: Film as Philosophy is an accessible and thought-provoking examination of the way films raise and explore complex philosophical ideas. Written in a clear and engaging style, Thomas Wartenberg examines films’ ability to discuss, and even criticize ideas that have intrigued and puzzled philosophers over the centuries such as the nature of personhood, the basis of morality, and epistemological skepticism. Beginning with a demonstration of how specific forms of philosophical discourse are presented cinematically, Wartenberg moves on to offer a systematic account of the ways in which specific films undertake the task of philosophy. Focusing on the films The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Modern Times, The Matrix, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Third Man, The Flicker, and Empire, Wartenberg shows how these films express meaningful and pertinent philosophical ideas. This book is essential reading for students of philosophy with an interest in film, aesthetics, and film theory. It will also be of interest to film enthusiasts intrigued by the philosophical implications of film.

101 Philosophy Problems

101 Philosophy Problems PDF Author: Martin Cohen
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0415635748
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 303

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Book Description
Martin Cohen's 101 Philosophy Problems has introduced thousands of readers to philosophy in an entertaining but informative and stimulating way. It is ideal for anyone coming to philosophy for the first time.

Philosophical Imagination

Philosophical Imagination PDF Author: Boris Vezjak
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 1527570711
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description
Thought experiments by ancient philosophers are often open to debate: in what sense did their reasoning really concern thought experimentation? For instance, in Plato’s Republic, Glaucon uses the myth of Gyges to demonstrate why people who practice justice do so unwillingly. A challenge, posed to Socrates and provided through some sort of thought experiment by imagining the effects of using the ring of invisibility, was intended to answer the question of human nature and our basis for the inclination towards justice or injustice. This collection expands the current, but rare, topic of whether it is possible to articulate a discussion about thought experiments and their arguments from the historical perspective of philosophy and science. It may sometimes seem that, in a loose sense, any philosophical reflection can already be interpreted as some form of thought experiment. Although the functions of it are very diverse and complex, and often closely linked to other cognitive tools, such as visualization, imagination or idealization, the contributions in this book provide new insights into how the concept of a thought experiment coincides with more modern perceptions. The purpose of the book is to show how philosophers, already in antiquity, began to use thought experiments and argumentation to convey theories in an accessible manner and how philosophical hypotheses, often being subjective and impossible to prove through empirical evidence, helped to promote scientific knowledge and discoveries. Different authors develop several lines of argumentation, claiming that philosophical thinking can be understood by comparing it to scientific experimenting, or vice versa: if empirical evidence is usually necessary for science, thought experiments may be used to develop a hypothesis or to prepare for experimentation. The analysis of historical examples of thought experiments might also contribute to a better understanding of philosophical endeavour in antiquity as a whole.

Rethinking Thinking

Rethinking Thinking PDF Author: Martin Cohen
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited
ISBN: 1788360869
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Book Description
How do generals - and business strategists - outwit their opponents? Where do designers and artists get their inspiration from? How can all of us 'pump up the originality' and steer our thinking off the standard, well-worn tracks? Everyone, as the French philosopher René Descartes pointed out long ago, thinks. That’s the easy bit. The harder part, and what this book is really about, is how to make your thinking original and effective. And here the problem is that too often we don’t really engage the gears of our brain, don’t really look at issues in an original or active way, we just respond. Like computers, inputs are processed according to established rules and outputs are thus largely predetermined. Yet that’s not what makes us human and that’s not where the big prizes in life are to be found. In the third millennium, we need to think a bit more - not less! And so the focus in this book is on practical suggestions about ways to think better... on thinking strategies that each have their own style, applications and benefits.

Thought X

Thought X PDF Author: Robin Ince
Publisher: Comma Press
ISBN: 1905583605
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 289

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Book Description
Featuring leading scientists acting as consultants on the stories, and writing scientific afterwords, bringing the theory featured in the stories to life, including Prof. Sarah Bridle (Jodrell Bank), Prof. Jonathan Wolff and Prof. Frank Jackson (the inventor of the 'Mary's Room' thought experiment). Science is always telling stories. Whether in the creation myths of evolution or the Big Bang, or in the eureka moments of science history, narrative – just as much as metaphor – is a key tool in the scientist’s surprisingly literary toolkit. Perhaps the most interesting use of story is the thought experiment, the intuition pump, that draws on the most instinctive parts of the imagination to crack otherwise perplexing problems. From Newton's Bucket, to Maxwell’s Demon, from Einstein's Lift to Schrödinger’s Cat – all are examples of 'fiction' being used at the highest level, not just to explain, but to deduce, to prove. In this unique anthology, authors have collaborated with leading scientists, to bounce literary, human narratives against purely theoretical ones, alloying together real stories with abstract ones, to produce truly extraordinary results. Full list of thought experiments: The Twin Paradox, The Grandfather Paradox, Maxwell's Demon, Laplace's Demon, Mary's Room, The Chinese Room, Schrödinger's Cat, Galileo's Boat, The Infinite Monkey Typing Pool, Einstein in a LIft, Einstein Chasing a Beam of Light, Newton's Bucket, Olber's Paradox.

Jerusalem and Other Holy Places as Foci of Multireligious and Ideological Confrontation

Jerusalem and Other Holy Places as Foci of Multireligious and Ideological Confrontation PDF Author:
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004437215
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 397

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Book Description
Jerusalem and Other Holy Places as Foci of Multireligious and Ideological Confrontation demonstrates the variety in the study of holy places, as well as the flexibility of geographic and historical aspects of holiness.

Philosophy For Dummies

Philosophy For Dummies PDF Author: Martin Cohen
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470688203
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 439

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Book Description
Confused by metaphysics? In a muddle with aesthetics? Intimidated by Kant? Then look no further! Philosophy For Dummies, UK Edition is a complete crash-course in philosophical thought, covering key philosophers, philosophical history and theory and the big questions that affect us today. Tying in with standard UK curricula and including core topics such as logic, ethics and political philosophy, this impartial, expert guide cuts through the jargon to give you the facts. Whether you're a philosophy student or a complete beginner, Philosophy For Dummies, UK Edition will get you thinking and talking about philosophy in no time, and with maximum confidence.

The Laboratory of the Mind

The Laboratory of the Mind PDF Author: James Robert Brown
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1136943781
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
Newton's bucket, Einstein's elevator, Schrödinger's cat – these are some of the best-known examples of thought experiments in the natural sciences. But what function do these experiments perform? Are they really experiments at all? Can they help us gain a greater understanding of the natural world? How is it possible that we can learn new things just by thinking? In this revised and updated new edition of his classic text The Laboratory of the Mind, James Robert Brown continues to defend apriorism in the physical world. This edition features two new chapters, one on “counter thought experiments” and another on the development of inertial motion. With plenty of illustrations and updated coverage of the debate between Platonic rationalism and classic empiricism, this is a lively and engaging contribution to the field of philosophy of science.