Thought experiments are tools philosophers and scientists use to investigate how things are, without actually having to go out and experiment in the real world. Philosophy Illustrated: Forty-Two Thought Experiments to Broaden your Mind (Oxford UP, 2021) presents forty-two philosophical thought experiments. Each thought experiment is illustrated by De Cruz and is summarized in one or two paragraphs, which is followed by a brief exploration of its significance. Each thought experiment also includes a longer (approximately 2-page) reflection, written by a philosopher who is a specialist in the field. De Cruz's unique illustrations serve as visual and accessible starting points for classroom discussions in Intro to Philosophy courses.
The featured philosophers in this podcast include:
- Pictures as philosophy, by Helen De Cruz
- Skywalk. Original thought experiment by Tamar Gendler
- The creationist teacher. Original thought experiment by Jennifer Lackey
- The drowning child. Original thought experiment by Peter Singer
- Splitting the bill at a restaurant. Original thought experiment by David Christensen. Reflection by David Christensen
- Red square. Original thought experiment by Arthur Danto. Reflection by Alex King
- Becoming a vampire. Original thought experiment by L.A. Paul
- The impartial caretaker. Original thought experiment by Mozi. Reflection by Hui-chieh Loy
- Seeing color for the first time. Original thought experiment by Ibn Tufayl. Reflection by Eric Schliesser
Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel. Twitter.
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