Questions tagged [thought-experiment]
65 questions
26
votes
21 answers
Can time exist without change?
Imagine an event of one second in length, like two hands clapping. Suppose that another interval of time elapses between the clap, a period in which nothing happens in the whole universe (or in all universes). You and your hands stand still, and…
Francesco D'Isa
- 1,290
- 1
- 9
- 18
13
votes
13 answers
How do materialists respond to the thought experiment of the perception of blue and red colors being swapped?
By materialism, I mean the belief that the totality of all in existence is material. That is, particles/waves/energy in the space-time fabric.
If one were to construct a thought experiment that demonstrated there exist things that are independent of…
abnry
- 386
- 1
- 3
- 12
12
votes
8 answers
If we encounter what appears to be an advanced extraterrestrial technological device, would the claim that it was designed be falsifiable?
Suppose we go to Mars and come across what appears to be a highly advanced technological device of extraterrestrial origin. Let's call this object X. Would the claim "X was designed" be falsifiable? That is, if we assume that the hypothesis "X was…
Mark
- 1,030
- 5
- 19
12
votes
3 answers
How does Putnam's twin earth thought experiment disprove functionalism?
In the twin Earth thought experiment Putnam determines that meanings are not in the head. Later interpretations, by himself and by others, take it to falsify functionalism.
It seems to me that the argument can't disprove functionalism, and even that…
Amit Hagin
- 946
- 6
- 16
12
votes
4 answers
Is Galileo's argument about falling bodies logically flawed?
Galileo's famous argument against the Aristotle's theory of falling bodies goes like this. "Let's say heavy objects do fall faster than light ones. Then it seems the heavier weight will fall with the lighter weight acting, as it were, a bit like a…
Conifold
- 42,225
- 4
- 92
- 180
11
votes
7 answers
What is a "demon"?
The term demon appears in several thought experiments: Maxwell's demon, Laplace's demon, Descartes' demon, maybe others.
What is this term supposed to mean?
For example, I understand the term oracle: an oracle is a black box that, for specific…
kutschkem
- 2,172
- 10
- 17
7
votes
7 answers
What ethical studies have been performed on what would happen if a government raises kids without parents?
This is a thought experiment that deals with morality and ethics:
Due to low natality governments decide to create schools in which kids
are raised by professional caregivers and people trained to do so instead of parents.
Those kids could be…
user22051
6
votes
1 answer
Was the Brain-in-a-Vat thought experiment explored philosophically before Putnam?
On SciFi.SE there's a question about the origins of "captive brains" in literature. Upon seeing the question I presumed it originated as a philosophical thought experiment (and then made it's way to popular culture) but it seems the opposite may be…
dimo414
- 1,107
- 10
- 20
5
votes
5 answers
Why can't I doubt that I am doubting?
Assume that doubt is meaningfully defined. Or let's say we define doubt as , both the statement under doubt, and it's complement can be true or false, we do not know, the uncertainty exists.
Imagine an ultimate doubter.
In this scenario, the doubter…
novice
- 558
- 4
- 15
4
votes
2 answers
Why does Searle's room receive three batches of Chinese characters and two English instruction manuals as input?
Searle's Chinese room receives input in the form of a batch of chinese characters, then twice after receives a batch of Chinese. The second batch of Chinese comes with English instructions for "correlating the second batch with the first batch." The…
BLUC
- 143
- 4
4
votes
2 answers
Thought experiments and empiricism
The debate between Norton and Brown regarding whether thought experiments transcend empiricism is interesting with Norton suggesting that thought experiments do not transcend empiricism.
If one had to choose a thought experiment to defend Norton's…
ADG
- 41
- 1
4
votes
1 answer
Schrödinger: order and perception
In a book called What is life? the Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger ask himself why we don't perceive atoms, and says:
The reason for this is, that what we call thought is itself an
orderly thing, and can only be applied to material, i.e. to
…
user29573
3
votes
3 answers
Can a single thought experiment have multiple outcomes?
Is it possible for a particular thought experiment to have multiple outcomes based on the view point of the person conducting said experiment? Or can a thought experiment never yield multiple conclusions unless there is an inherent flaw in the…
user36421
3
votes
5 answers
If time is discrete, does moving means teleporting?
Please follow this thought experiment:
1) A ball moves one centimeter in one unit of time.
2) A ball disappears. Then, after a unit of time, it reappears one centimeter far away.
By now we don't define the unit of time: it can be an hour like one…
Francesco D'Isa
- 1,290
- 1
- 9
- 18
3
votes
4 answers
Would we choose to become psychopaths if we could?
Deep Brain Stimulation to stop major depression is a reality in its infancy hence let’s make a thought experiment:
Presume a much more advanced version was created and everybody
could inhibit any emotional pain. Anybody could become a…
user22051