What If...: Collected Thought Experiments in PhilosophyWhat 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. |
Contents
| 2 | |
2 Philosophy of Mind | 46 |
3 Personal Identity | 68 |
4 Philosophy of Language | 90 |
5 Epistemology | 102 |
6 Logic | 134 |
7 Ethics | 146 |
8 Social and Political Philosophy | 200 |
9 Aesthetics | 222 |
10 Just One More | 232 |
| 234 | |
| 236 | |
| 238 | |
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Common terms and phrases
abortion according acorns and apples actions Alexander Campbell Fraser argues Barber Paradox belief body brain Brown Brownson can’t causal Chinese choose claims consciousness consider continuity death desires determine Doomsday Machine emeralds Epimenides equally Equim Ethics euthanasia evil example exist fact fawn’s freeze Furthermore Gavagai Gettier Goldman grue happen Hardin’s Hick’s human Hume’s identity imagine innocent Judith Jarvis Thomson justified kill knowledge Leibniz’s Liar Paradox lifeboat lives Locke’s logically mean memories ment mental mind morally permissible natural Nozick object one’s paradox Parfit perhaps person Philosophical physical Plato’s possible principle psychological psychological egoism Putnam’s question rabbit Rawls’s reason Regan replica reprinted response result says scenario Searle’s Ship of Theseus Shoemaker’s Smith and Jones someone Source space suggests Suppose surely there’s things Thomson thought experiment tion Tom Regan Trolley Problem true Twin Earth what’s Williams’s Wilt Chamberlain wrong York