PHA0104 Thought Experiments

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2015
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Marek Picha, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Josef Krob, CSc.
Department of Philosophy – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Philosophy – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 11:40–12:25 B2.44
Prerequisites
ability to read and comprehend philosophical text analytic spirit
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
students understand the role of hypothetical scenario in philosophical and scientific argumentation; they can analyze an imaginary case in different frameworks and therefore evaluate the case from the persuasive point of view; interpret hypothetical examples in domains of their expertise
Syllabus
  • What are thought experiments
  • Case studies: ethical thought experiments
  • Epistemology of thought experiments
  • Case studies: epistemological thought experiments
  • Flaws of thought experiments
  • Case studies: thought experiments in the philosophy of mind
  • Doubts about thought experiments
  • Case studies: metaphysical thought experiments
  • Thought experiments and arguments
  • Case studies: scientific thought experiments
Literature
    recommended literature
  • TITTLE, Peg. What if-- : collected thought experiments in philosophy. New York: Pearson Longman, 2005, xii, 243. ISBN 0321202783. info
  • SORENSEN, Roy A. Thought experiments. 1st pbk. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998, xii, 318. ISBN 019512913X. info
  • PICHA, Marek and Dagmar PICHOVÁ. 100 myšlenkových experimentů ve filozofii (100 thought experiments in philosophy). Vyd. 1. Praha: Dybbuk, 2013, 192 pp. ISBN 978-80-7438-096-9. info
Teaching methods
lectures, case studies, homework
Assessment methods
analytical essay
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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