The Power of Thought Experiments

Thought experiments are “what if” scenarios that invite us to look carefully at how we think and view the world. They’ve been used throughout history by philosophers and other thinkers to explore our intuitions and ways of reasoning, to find solutions to problems, and to expand our knowledge of ourselves and the world. In these 24 eye-opening lectures, Professor Breyer takes you deeply into the historical tradition of thought experiments, shining a light on both the purpose and the outcomes of these compelling mental voyages: · The Parameters of Ethics. Work through problems that look at what our moral obligations are to others and that challenge our sense of what’s right and wrong, and what we should or shouldn’t do. · The Boundaries of Identity. Grasp how thought experiments offer a valuable window into what defines the “you” you know yourself to be. Is identity necessarily related to the body? Where does the self begin and where does it end? · “Schrödinger’s Cat.” Within quantum mec