ABSTRACT

What 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.

chapter 1|44 pages

Zeno's Achilles

chapter 2|22 pages

Locke's Inverted Spectrum

chapter 3|22 pages

Hobbes's Ship of Theseus

chapter 4|12 pages

James's Squirrel

chapter 5|32 pages

Descartes's Evil Demon

chapter 6|12 pages

The Liar Paradox

chapter 7|54 pages

Plato's Ring of Gyges

chapter 8|22 pages

Locke's Acorns and Apples

chapter 9|10 pages

Dewey's Finely Wrought Object