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This paper puts forward a new formulation of the experimentalist challenge to the method of cases. Unlike previous attempts to articulate the challenge, the one proposed is based on a clear characterization of the targeted philosophical methodology. The method of cases is explicated as a form of thought experimentation aimed at testing philosophical hypotheses with a distinctive modal force. Given this explication, the empirical evidence gathered by experimental philosophers concerning the instability of case judgments is shown to constitute a stumbling block for the validation of the method as a rational form of hypothesis testing. The experimental challenge is presented as the challenge to compellingly indicate how this stumbling block can be removed, and the method of cases validated as a form of thought experimentation suitable for rationally testing philosophical hypotheses. The challenge, as presented in the text, is shown to be free from all the main criticisms leveled at previous versions of it and as one not yet met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to experimental philosophers, the diversity and sensitivity of intuitions have posed a severe threat to the traditional philosophical methodology, which relies extensively on intuitions triggered by thought experiments. However, defenders of traditional armchair philosophical methodology argue that experimental philosophers misunderstand the importance of intuitions for philosophy. What philosophers genuinely rely on are arguments, which provide a reliable foundation for their judgments on thought experiments. However, a recent cross-cultural experiment conducted by Wysocki (2017) indicates that arguments do not affect the judgments about Gettier cases as philosophers once expected. That poses a challenge to those philosophers who contend that judgments are based on arguments. In this paper, we expand the experimental investigation of the effect of arguments on judgments about thought experiments. We report the result of three experiments in which eleven thought experiments drawn from multiple philosophical subdisciplines were used. It turns out that arguments have significant impacts on Chinese participants’ judgments in response to most of these thought experiments. These results present new resources for defending the traditional methodology but also bring new challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the Heisenberg picture of Everettian quantum mechanics to work out the relative descriptors for the Frauchiger–Renner thought experiment. While Everettian mechanics reveals no paradox within the thought experiment, the decoherence-free setup offers an instructive branching tree. Traditionally, branching structures derived from the Schrödinger picture suggest that foliations are always sharply defined. However, the Heisenberg picture demonstrates that the tree contains regions with inherently non-sharp foliations, leading to the conclusion that, in Everettian mechanics, quantum agents possess a history with a non-sharp memory registry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When discussing around his Gödel-Schmidt case, Kripke implicitly invoked our intuitive judgements about reference to argue against descriptivism on proper names. E. Machery and some collaborators have used survey data to attack Kripkean theses. In this article, I raise a new objection to this kind of criticism of anti-descriptivism. The participants in the surveys were presented with two possible answers to a determinate question. I show that the answer that Machery and his collaborators presuppose to be descriptivist is in fact ambiguous, and it can be interpreted according to a reading that is perfectly compatible with anti-descriptivism. To argue for this thesis, I describe two ambiguities in the experimental setup that inspires their claims. Both ambiguities relate to the distinction between counterfactual and actualist readings of certain hypotheses, questions or statements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeConclusionRadiation exposures do not seem to increase the proportion of mice dying from tumors, but rather cause a shift in the appearance of spontaneous cancers, allowing them to appear earlier, and hence produce a life shortening effect. Then, it was possible to estimate the effect of the dose rate on the carcinogenic effects of radiation using life shortening effects as a measure.The dose response for the induction of life shortening was linear under acute exposure conditions, which indicates that the response under chronic exposure conditions is also likely to be linear, and hence the dose rate factor (DRF) would be constant throughout the dose. Furthermore, the life shortening effect decreased sharply with an increase in age at exposure. To separate the dose rate effect from the effects of age under long-term exposure conditions, a thought experiment was designed which consisted of 8 repeated exposures to an acute 1 Gy dose at intervals of 50 days with an assumption that the effect is additive, and the results were compared with those observed in a chronic continuous exposure experiment (20 mGy per day for 400 days, for a total of 8 Gy: Tanaka et al. 2003). The results showed 211 days of life shortening in the former and 120 days in the latter, which provided a DRF of 1.8 (211/120). If one assumes that a tissue reaction is the primary cause of radiation carcinogenesis, the contrasting two concepts, radiation hormesis and linear-non-threshold model at low doses, would become compatible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The linear quadratic model (LQM) has been commonly used for calculating radiotherapy and/or radioprotection. It is a mechanistic, biologically-based model with few parameters and is used to do quantitative predictions of dose fractionation dependences for cases such as radiation protection, and radiotherapy. Here we demonstrate that LQM does encounter serious pitfalls both from a theoretical and phenomenological point of view. LQM is traced back to the famous Drosophila experiments (Muller, 1927). Scientists had believed that mutation was cumulative and irreversible until the dose-rate effects were found by Russell mega-mouse project (Russell. Unfortunately, this message was not taken correctly except for the difference between low and high dose-rate cases and people were content with such notions as dose and dose rate effectiveness factor (DDREF), dose rate effectiveness factor (DREF), and low dose effectiveness factor (LDEF). However, the concept should have been seriously taken into account the important evidence existing in the biological organism, namely the mutation frequency can be reduced by repairing and cell exclusion mechanisms. Especially an apparent inconsistency of the notion of 'fractionation effect', which was thought to be related somehow to the so called Elkind-type Recovery, and is utilised in the treatment of cancer in radiation therapy. Here we take a simple thought experiment to show such fractionation calculus leads complete inconsistent result. Why does it happen? The answer is simple: LQM predicts that the risk stays constant so far as D does not change. In actual cases, however, the risk function changes over time due to preventing mechanism. To this end, we have constructed the 'Whack-A-Mole' (WAM) Model to take account of input and output processes. Indeed, calculations of clinical circumstances are getting important. Due to this the mutated cells decreases over time after the irradiation stops, while LQM predicts no change since the accumulated total dose, D remains constant. The details will be seen in a separate ICRP publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the title "Comprehension Versus Simulation: Philosophical Implications of Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism," this article will reflect on the interactions between artificial intelligence (AI) and transhumanism, exploring how these issues affect our understanding of the human condition and its philosophical repercussions. It begins with the deconstruction of the idea of strong artificial intelligence, discussing the acronyms and boundaries that surround the topic. The distinction between strong and weak AI reveals both potentialities and constraints, while also updating John Searle's Chinese Room thought experiment, which questions whether a machine can truly understand like a human. The text then progresses to transhumanism and technological singularity, focusing on the transformation of the human condition through technological integration, which seeks to overcome biological and cognitive limitations. This transformation raises relevant ontological questions about the definition of the human, particularly as it intertwines with artificial intelligence, as discussed by Ray Kurzweil. Finally, the text addresses imaginaries regarding the coexistence of humans and machines, suggesting that this new reality cannot be strictly categorized as intelligent or artificial. The concept of incongruent abilities emphasizes the complexity of the emergent interactions within this scenario. Engaging in a dialogue with theorists such as Alan Turing, Miguel Nicolelis, Luc Ferry, Luciano Floridi, and Max Tegmark, this article invites critical reflection on the tension surrounding the possibility of machines exhibiting comprehension or merely providing a simulation of human understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years the taught masters course has become an even more important component of the curriculum portfolio for universities in the UK and elsewhere. In the spring of 2021, the Student Assessment and Classification Working Group (SACWG) surveyed a small number of English and Welsh universities to compare assessment regulations for taught masters courses. The survey revealed substantial differences in the use and application of rules between institutions. The issue of divergence and convergence of the principles on which assessment rules are based was discussed further at a SACWG seminar that took place the following year. At this event, participants took part in a thought experiment that required them to set aside any prior application of assessment regulations and to attempt to agree on the rules for taught masters courses. These group discussions provided a high degree of openness and positivity. We discuss the results of the survey, the seminar and the experiment. We consider, also, the benefits of generating an open dialogue that aims to increase consistency of practice and understanding of the educational value of key assessment rules in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literary cognitivism can be broadly defined as the claim that literary texts can be a source of knowledge. This article proposes the concept of aimless argumentativity to denote a paradoxical epistemic activity performed by fictional narratives. This concept is conceptualized and explored through an engagement with recent philosophical work on the epistemology of thought experiments and their similarities, or lack thereof, with literary fiction. These points are then illustrated through examples drawn from science fiction, and specifically Isaac Asimov's Robot series, which deploys its thought-experimental character in a specific form of nonlinear seriality, thus providing a clear and articulated demonstration of the oxymoronic, aimlessly argumentative power of fictional texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What leads people to believe in conspiracy theories? While scholars have learned much about both the psychological, social, and political factors associated with individuals' receptivity to conspiracy theories, and the rhetoric with which these ideas are communicated, these two lines of research have often proceeded in isolation, leaving scholars not fully understanding if rhetoric persuades audiences of conspiracy theories. Employing two U.S. national survey experiments, we test the effect of six rhetorical devices on respondents' endorsements of eleven different conspiracy theories. Across both studies, we fail to find evidence showing that these rhetorical devices increased the endorsement of any of the eleven conspiracy theories. These findings suggest that conspiracy theory beliefs are more the product of worldviews and group identities than of leaders' communication styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This written dialogue studies how the "question of genocide" has infiltrated media ecology and come to permeate every meaning, gesture, and relation. Confronting Israel's escalation, since October 2023, of its genocidal siege on Palestine, two writers (a Palestinian and a Jew) engage in an experiment of thinking together that is at once critical, theoretical, affective, and emergent, in an effort to configure and, indeed, live part of their solidarity with the struggle for Palestinian liberation and self‐determination. Necessarily, the roles of photography, semiotics, social media, computation, racism, weaponry, and other machines of war and capital are here rendered as part of the micrological murmurations of thought, sensibility, and communication, even as they macrologically reform geopolitical terrains both real and imagined. Thought, feeling, knowledge, epistemology, intellectual, and cultural practice are all understood to unfold in the theater of racial capitalist warfare that offers up genocide not as exception but as paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last years, the use of the words "AI art", i.e. art produced by artificial intelligence, has exponentially increased. Sometimes, they have been used without philosophical awareness, from public discourse to strictly scientific and technological literature. Sometimes, they have started entering the philosophical debate, from the philosophy of technology to the philosophy of art. In what follows, I shall reflect upon AI art by combining my expertise in both the philosophy of technology and the philosophy of art as what has characterised my work as a philosopher over the years. More precisely, I shall reflect upon AI art as an opportunity to further question what we mean when we use the word "art". After a brief literature review (first section), I shall specify what kind of AI art I consider (second section). In the third section, I shall analyse the most important reason why AI artefacts are defined as art. In the fourth and fifth sections, I shall use thought experiments to argue that AI artefacts cannot be defined as art. And, in the sixth section, I shall conclude by questioning what the use of the words "AI art" can show us about both art and our technological era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed the finite-time cycle model of a measurement-based quantum cooler, where the invasive measurement provides the power to drive the cooling cycle. Such a cooler may be regarded as an alternative thought experiment of Maxwell's demon. The measurement-feedback information is capable of moving heat from the cold to hot bath without any work input and even making the maximum coefficient of performance larger than the Carnot limit. The causes that this seemingly paradoxical result does not violate the laws of thermodynamics can be clearly explained through the derivation of a generalized Clausius inequality including the mutual information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the development of physical theories, thought experiments play a crucial role. Research on this topic began in 1976 and has continued to the present. This study aims to provide a more complete picture of the progress of thought experiments over the past two decades. To achieve this, this study employs bibliometric mapping methods. A total of 679 published papers were analyzed, including articles (504), conference papers (92), and book chapters (83). This data was retrieved from the Scopus database. The study's findings reveal that research and publications on thought experiments are highly valued and have received significant attention over the past eight years. According to the findings, 90% of the top 20 source titles contributing to thought experiments are from journals in the first and second quartiles (Q1 and Q2). This quartile ranking shows the quality and significant influence of a journal. The geographical distribution indicates that the United States contributes the most to thought experiments research, with 213 documents, 2592 citations, and 47 links. We also identified several prospective keywords that could be the focus of future research, including artificial intelligence, physics education, fiction, God, theology, productive imagination, technology, speculative design, and critical design. Therefore, this study provides a thorough picture of thought experiment research trends and future directions of potential topics that can be the focus of future researchers.

We propose a multi-particle 'which-path' gedanken experiment with a quantum detector. Contrary to conventional 'which-path' experiments, the detector maintains its quantum state during interactions with the particles. We show how such interactions can create an interference pattern that vanishes on average, as in conventional 'which-path' schemes, but contains hidden many-body quantum correlations. Measuring the state of the quantum detector projects the joint-particle wavefunction into highly entangled states, such as GHZ's. Conversely, measuring the particles projects the detector wavefunction into desired states, such as Schrodinger-cat or GKP states for a harmonic-oscillator detector, e.g., a photonic cavity. Our work thus opens a new path to the creation and exploration of many-body quantum correlations in systems not often associated with these phenomena, such as atoms in waveguide QED and free electrons in transmission electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane emissions by global wetlands are anticipated to increase due to climate warming. The increase in methane represents a sizable emissions source (32–68 Tg CH4 year−1 greater in 2099 than 2010, for RCP2.6–4.5) that threatens long‐term climate stability and poses a significant positive feedback that magnifies climate warming. However, management of this feedback, which is ultimately driven by human‐caused warming and thus "indirectly" anthropogenic, has been largely unexplored. Here, we review the known range of options for direct management of rising wetland methane emissions, outline contexts for their application, and explore a global scale thought experiment to gauge their potential impact. Among potential management options for methane emissions from wetlands, substrate amendments, particularly sulfate, are the most well studied, although the majority have only been tested in laboratory settings and without considering potential environmental externalities. Using published models, we find that the bulk (64%–80%) of additional wetland methane will arise from hotspots making up only about 8% of global wetland extent, primarily occurring in the tropics and subtropics. If applied to these hotspots, sulfate might suppress 10%–21% of the total additional wetland methane emissions, but this treatment comes with considerable negative consequences for the environment. This thought experiment leverages results from experimental simulations of sulfate from acid rain, as there is essentially no research on the use of sulfate for intentional suppression of additional wetland methane emissions. Given the magnitude of the potential climate forcing feedback of methane from wetlands, it is critical to explore management options and their impacts to ensure that decisions made to directly manage—or not manage—this process be made with the best available science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the role of news and rumour during the Peasants' Revolt, an aspect of the rising that has not been the subject of a detailed study. It considers the circulation of news in written and oral form and its importance in driving the rebellion. Sources suggest that the news of the revolt traversed the country quickly, moving at up to sixty-five miles a day, and its transmission is shown through an isopleth map to radiate outwards across the country from its point of origin in south-east England. Rumour is considered by means of a thought experiment using three examples drawn from rebel activities in London in June 1381. It thrived in the absence of news, particularly in a highly stressed environment. It is possible that rumour was used as a tactic by rebel commanders, who were able to generate and manipulate rumours to their own advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue that absences pose a challenge to our understanding of physicalism that has not been properly appreciated. I do this by setting out a thought experiment involving a being in whom absence properties occupy the causal roles that functionalists take to define mental properties, in which case these absence properties realize the being's mental properties. Such a being should be compatible with the truth of physicalism, I argue, even though its mental properties are neither themselves physical properties nor are they realized/grounded in physical properties – instead, they are realized/grounded in (nonphysical) absence properties. I argue that the case serves as a counterexample to leading formulations of physicalism that appeal to realization or grounding, but not to standard supervenience-based formulations of physicalism, because the latter typically include negative truths in their supervenience base in addition to physical truths. I show how realization- and grounding-based formulations of physicalism might be revised to handle the problem, but also recommend that we rethink how we understand physicalism and the role that negative entities can play for physicalists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We argue that our capacity to use imagination to acquire knowledge of objective possibilities should be explained in terms of the embodied nature of our imagination. Our imagination is able to be sufficiently reality oriented due to constraints that are a natural consequence of embodied simulation. That is, our bodies, shaped by their histories of interactions with the environment, can play a role in constraining the imagination so that it, sometimes, is epistemically useful. However, insofar as these constraints support our capacity to acquire knowledge of non-actual possibilities, this support is only likely to accrue for knowledge of relatively mundane and parochial possibilities, yet potentially detrimentally distorting when dealing with possibilities that are alien to our specific embodied ways of being. The cases where embodied constraints are likely to fail to provide epistemic support to the imagination include many of the kinds of thought experiment that are central to philosophers’ attempts to gain knowledge of possibilities. Thus, at least insofar as imagination is taken to play a central epistemic role in these cases, one should exercise a degree of modesty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article revisits the intellectual affinities between two German-Austrian figures of the early 20th century: the physicist and historian of science Ernst Mach and the engineer-turned-Dichter Robert Musil. Specifically, it argues that the model of thinking informing Musil's Essayismus in Chapter 28 of The Man Without Qualities represents an extravagant counterpart to Mach's biological-economical theory of knowledge. A comparison of the relational logics structuring their accounts of thinking reveals that, while both figures seek to replace the rigidity of philosophical systems with models emphasizing thought's fluid changeability, Mach and Musil invest different hopes in the ends of relational thinking. For Mach, the economical adaptations involved in the scientific thought experiment disclose reality as a "living stream of phenomena." Meanwhile, the "essayistic" features of Musil's literary writings locate the task of thinking in its tendency toward excess, not economy. Rather than reconstructing an opposition between literature and scientific thinking, however, the analysis accentuates how Mach and Musil respond to a shared question of what it means to think relations to the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article revisits the intellectual affinities between two German-Austrian figures of the early 20th century: the physicist and historian of science Ernst Mach and the engineer-turned-Dichter Robert Musil. Specifically, it argues that the model of thinking informing Musil's Essayismus in Chapter 28 of The Man Without Qualities represents an extravagant counterpart to Mach's biological-economical theory of knowledge. A comparison of the relational logics structuring their accounts of thinking reveals that, while both figures seek to replace the rigidity of philosophical systems with models emphasizing thought's fluid changeability, Mach and Musil invest different hopes in the ends of relational thinking. For Mach, the economical adaptations involved in the scientific thought experiment disclose reality as a "living stream of phenomena." Meanwhile, the "essayistic" features of Musil's literary writings locate the task of thinking in its tendency toward excess, not economy. Rather than reconstructing an opposition between literature and scientific thinking, however, the analysis accentuates how Mach and Musil respond to a shared question of what it means to think relations to the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artistic research in music often relies on a combination of thinking and experimenting in music and reflecting on these experiences outside musical time. However, the way in which out-of-time reflection can build on in-time musical thinking is rarely problematised. In this text, I develop a vision that relates critical and reflective ability in musical artistic research to the ability of the researcher to change or alternate positions in relation to the stream of musical events. Thus, a perspective of artistic research as an interruptive practice emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show the benefits of bridging the gap between supply chain management (SCM) and political philosophy to challenge the underlying assumptions about SCM concepts and open doors to novel theory building. Design/methodology/approach: A thought experiment is conducted to illustrate how the two philosophers Niccolò Machiavelli and Jürgen Habermas would tackle sustainability issues in coffee supply chains from a research perspective. The thought experiment is carried out using data from 30 semi-structured interviews with actors from the coffee industry. Supplementing the thought experiment with empirical insights allows for a deeper understanding of supply chain dynamics and how these are impacted by the application of the philosophical viewpoints. Findings: The research stresses the importance of SCM scholars being aware of the underlying assumptions of their research, as these have a remarkable impact on theory building. A combination of empirical insights and philosophical understandings makes it possible to reflect on the underlying concepts of SCM, providing suggestions for reimagining SCM. Originality/value: The contribution of the research is twofold. First, the paper presents an original view on SCM, as the thought experiment is introduced as an approach to better understand SCM concepts. By challenging the underlying assumptions with political philosophy, researchers will be better equipped to address grand challenges in the twenty-first century. Second, this is exemplified by the case study of the coffee supply chain, which provides the reader with insight into the dynamics of supply chains with prevalent power differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorensen (Thought experiments, Oxford University Press, New York, 1992) has provided two modal-logical schemas to reconstruct the logical structure of two types of destructive thought experiments: the Necessity Refuter and the Possibility Refuter. The schemas consist of five propositions which Sorensen claims but does not prove to be inconsistent. We show that the five propositions, as presented by Sorensen, are not inconsistent, but by adding a premise (and a logical truth), we prove that the resulting sextet of premises is inconsistent. Häggqvist (Can J Philos 39(1):55–76, 2009) has provided a different modal-logical schema (Counterfactual Refuter), which is equivalent to four premises, again claimed to be inconsistent. We show that this schema also is not inconsistent, for similar reasons. Again, we add another premise to achieve inconsistency. The conclusion is that all three modal-logical reconstructions of the arguments that accompany thought experiments, two by Sorensen and one by Häggqvist, have now been made rigorously correct. This may inaugurate new avenues to respond to destructive thought experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the development of physical theories, thought experiments play a crucial role. Research on this topic began in 1976 and has continued to the present. This study aims to provide a more complete picture of the progress of thought experiments over the past two decades. To achieve this, this study employs bibliometric mapping methods. A total of 679 published papers were analyzed, including articles (504), conference papers (92), and book chapters (83). This data was retrieved from the Scopus database. The study's findings reveal that research and publications on thought experiments are highly valued and have received significant attention over the past eight years. According to the findings, 90% of the top 20 source titles contributing to thought experiments are from journals in the first and second quartiles (Q1 and Q2). This quartile ranking shows the quality and significant influence of a journal. The geographical distribution indicates that the United States contributes the most to thought experiments research, with 213 documents, 2592 citations, and 47 links. We also identified several prospective keywords that could be the focus of future research, including artificial intelligence, physics education, fiction, God, theology, productive imagination, technology, speculative design, and critical design. Therefore, this study provides a thorough picture of thought experiment research trends and future directions of potential topics that can be the focus of future researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of near death and dying experiences has been both of popular interest and of scientific speculation. However, the reality of mental perception at the point of death is currently a subjective experience and has not been formally evaluated. While postmortem gene expression, even in humans, has been evaluated, restoration of postmortem brain activity has heretofore only been attempted in animal models, at the molecular and cellular levels. Meanwhile, progress has been made to translate brain activity of living humans into speech and images. This paper proposes two inter-related thought experiments. First, assuming progress and refinement of the technology of translating human brain activity into interpretable speech and images, can an objective analysis of death experiences be obtained by utilizing these technologies on dying humans? Second, can human brain function be revived postmortem and, if so, can the relevant technologies be utilized for communication with (recently) deceased individuals? In this paper, these questions are considered and possible implications explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many philosophers have become sceptical of the use of thought experiments in theorising about personal identity. In large part, this is due to work in experimental philosophy that appears to confirm long‐held philosophical suspicions that thought experiments elicit inconsistent judgements about personal identity and hence judgements that are thought to be the product of cognitive biases. If so, these judgements appear to be useless at informing our theories of personal identity. Using the methods of experimental philosophy, we investigate whether people exhibit inconsistent judgements and, if they do, whether these judgements are likely to be the source of cognitive bias or, instead, sensitivity to some relevant factor. We do not find that people's judgements are sensitive to any of the factors we investigate (relevant or irrelevant), nor that people have inconsistent judgements across cases. Rather, people's judgements are best explained by them having a very minimal account of what it takes for a person to survive. Since this pattern of judgements is no reason to think that we are subject to cognitive bias, we see no reason, as things stand, to be sceptical of our judgements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay is split into two thought experiments. The first will be to diffract ressentiment through the works of Gloria Anzaldúa and Édouard Glissant. I will create a bridge with decolonial thought by interpreting Anzaldúa's concept of the nopal de castilla and mestiza consciousness through the interpretive lens of ressentiment to show the affinity that exists between the work of Anzaldúa and Nietzsche. I then look at ressentiment through some of the concepts Glissant offers in the Poetics of Relation. I argue that ressentiment resists the creolization of identity and culture, and that Glissant's demand for the right to opacity for all signals the overcoming of ressentiment. The second experiment diffracts ressentiment through Eduardo Viveiros de Castro's Cannibal Metaphysics , beginning with an analysis of the most relevant points of that text for our discussion, then putting our diffracted ressentiment in conversation with the Brazilian anthropologist's post-structural interpretation of Amerindian perspectivism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to determine the role of intuitions in Gettier cases. Critics of the Method of Cases argue that arguments developed within this method contain a premise that is justified by its intuitiveness; they also argue that intuitions are unreliable sources of evidence. By contrast, Max Deutsch argues that this critique is unsound since intuitions do not serve as evidence for premises. In Gettier cases, an intuitive premise is justified by other arguments called G-Grounds. I propose a different view on the role of intuition in Gettier cases. I introduce a distinction between concept-revision arguments and concept-application arguments. On the basis of this distinction and Craig's and Spicer's distinction between intuitions of intension and intuitions of extension, I show that (1) intuitions of extension do not serve as evidence for any G-Grounds; (2) intuitions of intension do play an evidential role for all G-Grounds, but (3) in the case of G-Grounds which are used as concept-application arguments, they are a poor source of evidence, while (4) in the case of G-Grounds used as concept-revision arguments, they could be a reliable source of evidence if they are intuitions of intension of a speaker immersed in philosophical discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present thought experiments to measure the Arnowitt–Deser–Misner E ADM and Bondi–Sachs energy E BS of isolated systems in general relativity. The expression of E BS used in the protocol is likely to have other applications. In particular, it is well-suited to be promoted to an operator in non-perturbative loop quantum gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I discuss the conditions for the possibility of the existence of time according to Aristotle’s Physics IV, 10-14. For this purpose, I present three thought experiments that help to clarify the nature of time. According to my reading, motion is not a sufficient condition for the existence of time; such condition is, instead, that motion could be measured—even if it is not actually measured. There is time when a movement can be put in a relation of proportion with another movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wigner's friend scenarios—in which external agents describe a closed laboratory containing a friend making a measurement—highlight the difficulties of quantum theory when accounting for measurements. The problem is to accommodate for unitary evolution from the point of view of the external agent with the measurements or other operations carried out by the friend. Here, we show in the context of a relativistic thought experiment that an operation that may be accounted for unitarily in a given reference frame cannot be described unitarily in a different reference frame. This result, based on the frame dependence of the state update in relativistic contexts, could point to some fundamental inadequacy when attempting to model actions taken by a complex agent as unitary operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravity measurements have uses in a wide range of fields including geological mapping and mine-shaft inspection. The specific application under consideration sets limits on the survey and the amount of information that can be obtained. For example, in a conventional gravity survey at the Earth's surface a gravimeter is translated on a two-dimensional planar grid taking measurements of the vertical component of gravity. If, however, the survey points cannot be chosen so freely, for example if the gravimeter is constrained to operate in a tunnel where only a one-dimensional line of data could be taken, less information will be obtained. To address this situation, we investigate an alternative approach, in the form of an instrument which rotates around a central point measuring the gravitational potential or its radial derivative on the boundary of a sphere. The ability to record additional components of gravity by rotating the gravimeter will give more information than obtained with a single measurement traditionally taken at each point on a survey, consequently reducing ambiguities in interpretation. We term a device which measures the potential, or its radial derivatives, around the surface of a sphere a gravitational eye. In this article we explore ideas of resolution and propose a thought experiment for comparing the performance of diverse types of gravitational eye. We also discuss radial analytic continuation towards sources of gravity and the resulting resolution enhancement, before finally discussing the possibility of using cold-atom gravimetry and gradiometry to construct a gravitational eye. If realised, the gravitational eye will offer revolutionary capability enabling the maximum information to be obtained about features in all directions around it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is a thought experiment in re-interpreting the virtue of li or ritual/propriety for the contemporary, multi-cultural, world. Using Zhuangzi, the Lunyu, and Zhongyong as my primary points of departure, I re-interpret the Confucian ideas of hierarchy in terms of the Daoist conception of harmony. Many scholars today argue that Confucianism has a relational ontology, yet at the same time, we find that Confucian values can and do lead to rigid and harmful traditions that have historically oppressed marginalized groups like women. As such, I re-imagine what li might look like if we take relational ontology seriously, Drawing from Zhuangzi, I argue that Confucian harmony and order do not necessarily arise out of hierarchy, and that harmony, the most primary goal of li and of the Confucian project, can be best attained through propriety that is influenced by Daoism and feminist values such as equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

10.1119/5.0175922 The rod and slit paradox, as first proposed by Shaw, is revisited. In this paradox, a rod of rest length l0 moves parallel to the horizontal x-axis. Simultaneously, a thin sheet parallel to the horizontal xz-plane with a rod-shaped slit of rest length d < l 0 moves along the vertical y-axis. The rod passes through the slit due to relativistic effects. Earlier papers do not link the thought experiment to the Silberstein/Thomas/Wigner-rotation (STW-rotation), which is essential to its outcome. In this paper, the role of the STW-rotation is discussed, and additional clarifying figures are provided. Some misleading aspects of earlier treatments are pointed out and corrected. Editor's Note: Readers who are familiar with the "barn door" paradox will enjoy this 2D version of it. Imagine a rod, thrown like a javelin, moving at a constant horizontal speed and also falling at a constant vertical speed. As it reaches ground level, it falls precisely through a javelin-length slit in the floor. However, in the reference frame of the javelin, the slit will be length-contracted and the javelin will have its (longer) proper length. So as the ground rises up to meet it, how does it pass through? The authors revisit this classic paradox and present new ideas on its resolution, including the concept of relativistic boost-induced rotations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Game of Life (GoL) is a paradigmatic computer simulation that exhibits the emergence of complex properties of the whole from relatively simple sets of heuristic rules operating at lower organizational levels. Therefore, it is widely understood as a valuable tool for investigating global properties of evolutionary processes. Cognizant of refined concepts that emerged in recent debates on the central role of historical contingency (historicity) in evolution, we modify the original GoL rules by introducing an updating feedback loop and a probability factor that reflect the degree of historicity in pattern evolution as both stochastic path dependence and sensitivity to initial conditions. We examine this trait in simulations of the emergence and breaking of bilateral and radial symmetries commonly observed in the evolution of life, most prominently as evolving body plans. We show that the implementation of historicity parameters leads to a more realistic sequential and gradual alternating emergence and the breaking of new symmetries than the original set of rules. Apart from its more realistic representations of evolutionary processes, the new approach allows for easier exploration of the parameter space, demonstrates the sequential and gradual emergence and breaking of symmetries, and provides a publicly available and modular simulation tool. We discuss the exploratory potential of the modified GoL platform we designed as an extended thought experiment to study the parameter space defining the historicity of biological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Many liberal philosophers claim that people are free to do as they will by default; any interference must be justified. This supposed presumption of liberty does a significant amount of theoretical work for public reason liberals such as Gerald Gaus and John Rawls. This paper shows that Gaus’s explicit defense of a presumption of liberty fails. Gausa and his many followers repeatedly appeal to a particular thought experiment from Stanley Benn. We argue that this thought experiment fails to show that there is a presumption of liberty, but instead shows, at best, the trivial point that when any particular moral concern is specified to be the only relevant concern, then there is a presumption in favor of that concern. Further, Gaus, along with Shaun Nichols, has tried to demonstrate empirically that the intuitions and conclusions he draws from this example are fairly uniform and universal among other moral agents, but we explain why their experimental results do not vindicate any such conclusion. We conclude that undermining the alleged presumption of liberty places public reason liberalism in serious jeopardy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the main features and goals of the speculative work in modern sciences that has greatly accelerated since World War II due to the exponential increase in computing power and newly available theoretical and conceptual tools. It points to the long historical strand of speculative philosophical work in symbiosis with the sciences, suggests the reasons for its unexpected neglect in contemporary professional philosophy of science, why it should be a major approach, and why such pursuit is not inevitable. Finally, the paper outlines potential topics, fields, and tools for such collaborative work and argues it is likelier to be more fruitful today than at any point in the past hundred years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article revisits the conventional distinction in political science between 'positive' and 'normative' political theory, particularly the belief that formal and mathematical methods are only pertinent to positive political theory. We argue that formal models are equally valuable in normative political theory for three reasons: they can make thought experiments more rigorous, they can demonstrate the consistency of normative principles, and they can provide insights into the practical workings of novel institutional arrangements in the absence of empirical data. The integration of formal models into normative political theory presents challenges, including the development of criteria for evaluating these models and potential shifts in research focus. Integration can also strengthen political theory's tenuous role in the political science discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a hybridization of Newcomb's Problem and the Frustrater (Spencer and Wells's 2019 paper 'Why take both boxes?'), underscoring how difficult it is to reconcile the rationality of taking both boxes in Newcomb's Problem and the rationality of taking the envelope in the Frustrater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attribution of causality, a central concept in human cognition theory, is the principal instrument for investigating functional links between events and phenomena. Although the links between causality and moral responsibility are commonly recognized, the scope of studies analysing the practical implications of causality attribution is minimal. This study examines the effect of causality perception on the desired distribution of the generic means of life by utilising thought experiment data collection methodology and non-parametric statistical analysis. The results indicate that: (i) causality perception affects the desired distribution, and (ii) individuals show no tendency to modify their perception of causality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This unique thought experiment invites the field of agricultural education to a critical dialogue on issues related to making teaching a career. Leveraging elicitation techniques, we introduce a series of nine letters on agriculture teacher retention. Written by agriculture teacher education faculty with expertise in teacher retention, these letters orient readers to the collective thought experiment by introducing the complex reality of engaging in the field via multifaceted viewpoints representative of perspectives we have encountered within the profession. Representing the broad range of perspectives on teacher retention, readers can expect to initially agree with components of some letters and disagree with others; however, readers should refrain from dismissing perspectives as this opposes the need to collectively understand the depth and diversity of perspectives on teacher retention in agricultural education. Understanding these diverse perspectives is critical to creating innovative, adoptable solutions to address the explicit and implicit challenges and opportunities embedded within these letters. To support engagement in the thought experiment, we provided resources for reviewing the letters and contributing to the dialogue as appendices, with specific opportunities for individuals and groups to engage with intentionality. Readers are, therefore, encouraged to explore the appendices prior to reading the letters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a contribution to a symposium about a book on thought experiments by Nenad Miščević. I argue that it is the first monograph dedicated to a defense of the mental models account of thought experiments. I exemplify the strengths of this account by applying Miščević's analytical tools to the task of reading the Biblical Book of Job as a theological thought experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution examines Miscevic's defence against restrictionist X-phi, based on his view that thought experiments exhibit a large number of typical stages. On Miscevic's view, the epistemic threats identified by proponents of the negative program in X-phi may be countered or ameliorated in various ways at various stages. I argue that the defence he offers is insufficient to counter the arguments by in particular Machery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of our knowledge about neurodiversity, I argue that the cognitive science framework Miščević uses in Thought Experiments must be broaden to create a pluralistic account of thought experimentation, one able to account for the many ways thought experiments are replicated using not only visual models, but also arguments, conceptual analyses, and images as some of the many instruments used in the laboratory of our mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This reply is a refutation of Santiago Vrech's article "The End of the Case? A Metaphilosophical Critique of Thought Experiments" (2022) which argues that thought experiments used in argumentation cannot hold in All Possible Worlds (APW) modality, and thus should end. Cases are used to justify or refute a philosophical theory, but should not have the power to refute an entire theory, especially ad infinitum. Significant variations in intuitions, he argues, invalidate cases and are not proven. I argue some variation is acceptable and expected, and his bar of criteria is too high--APW validity is unnecessary. Vrech's three arguments are faulty and/ or too weak, and his thought experiment is of questionable value. Experimental and armchair philosophy (or philosophers) are misnomers, misleading and false dichotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue Internationale PME is the property of Institue de Recherche sur les PME and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)