Thought experiments: identity and efficiency issues

The article analyzes two problems related to thought experiments based on a study of the contemporary philosophical discussion about the nature and structure of thought experiments: the problem of identity and the problem of effectiveness. The first problem pertains to establishing the essence of the thought experiment as a philosophical method. The second concerns the disagreements that arise regarding the effectiveness of thought experiments. The history of the development of the concept of thought experiments is briefly reviewed. Special attention is given to contemporary positions regarding the nature of thought experiments, ranging from Platonist to empiricist approaches, as well as various classifications discussed in the modern discourse. Current views on the main mechanism of thought experiments—imagining—and on the structure and inner workings of thought experiments are analyzed. The analysis is conducted through historical-philosophical examination of contemporary studies specifically dedicated to thought experiments, comparing positions, and conducting conceptual analysis of the idea of a thought experiment. The study places particular emphasis on the question of the effectiveness of thought experiments as a philosophical method. It shows that the ways of determining effectiveness for thought experiments and ordinary arguments differ. Accepting the conclusions drawn allows for a more effective critique of thought experiments, aimed not at debunking them but at improving them. The discussed problems are not critical for thought experiments as a method. As there is a lack of studies in contemporary domestic literature specifically devoted to the problematization of the nature and structure of thought experiments, the conclusions drawn also help to actualize the discussion. As a result of the analysis, the author arrives at two main conclusions regarding the problems considered. First, various interpretations of the nature of thought experiments can be viewed as different classifications of thought experiments or as emphasizing the significance of different aspects of thought experiments. In this view, the identity problem can largely be reduced to the effectiveness problem. Second, the effectiveness problem of thought experiments is not an argument against thought experiments but a specific practical task associated with the development of more refined ways of conducting thought experiments. Among the aspects of thought experiments that require improvement, aspects such as accuracy, consistency, relevance, representativeness, and others are indicated.

epistemology, philosophical methodology, thought experiment, conceivability, thinking, imagination, mental model, intuition, introspection, argument