Philosophy Illustrated

Description

Thought experiments are tools philosophers and scientists use to investigate how things are, without actually having to go out and experiment in the real world. This book presents forty-two philosophical thought experiments. Each thought experiment is illustrated by De Cruz (who is an illustrator as well as a philosopher), and is summarized in one or two paragraphs, which is followed by a brief exploration of its significance. Each thought experiment also includes a longer (approximately 2-page) reflection, written by a philosopher who is a specialist in the field. De Cruz's unique illustrations serve as visual and accessible starting points for classroom discussions in Intro to Philosophy courses.

Table of Contents

Preface: Pictures as philosophy, by Helen De Cruz

Introduction: How to use a philosophical thought experiment, by Helen De Cruz and Johan De Smedt

I. Thought Experiments in Ethics

1. The child at the well. Original thought experiment by Mengzi (attributed). Reflection by Bryan W. Van Norden
2. The drowning child. Original thought experiment by Peter Singer. Reflection by Peter Singer
3. The impartial caretaker. Original thought experiment by Mozi. Reflection by Hui-chieh Loy
4. The experience machine. Original thought experiment by Robert Nozick. Reflection by Eden Lin
5. People seeds/the violinist. Original thought experiment by Judith Jarvis Thomson. Reflection by Elselijn Kingma

II. Thought Experiments in Political Philosophy

6. The original position. Original thought experiment by John Rawls. Reflection by Marcus Arvan
7. The happy grass-counter. Original thought experiment by John Rawls. Reflection by Bonnie Honig
8. The stag hunt. Original thought experiment by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Reflection by Christopher Bertram
9. The Veil. Original thought experiment W.E.B Du Bois. Reflection by Liam Kofi Bright

III. Thought Experiments in Epistemology

10. Splitting the bill at a restaurant. Original thought experiment by David Christensen. Reflection by David Christensen
11. Dreaming with Zhuangzi, a Butterfly. Original thought experiment by Zhuangzi (attributed). Reflection by Julianne Chung
12. Happiness for a fish. Original thought experiment by Zhuangzi (attributed). Reflection by Ian James Kidd
13. The creationist teacher. Original thought experiment by Jennifer Lackey. Reflection by Jennifer Lackey
14. Fake barn country. Original thought experiment by Carl Ginet, featured in Alvin Goldman. Reflection by Clayton Littlejohn
15. Neurath's boat. Original thought experiment by Otto Neurath. Reflection by Zoe Drayson

IV. Thought Experiments in Philosophy of Mind

16. The extended mind. Original thought experiment by Andy Clark and David Chalmers. Reflection by Andy Clark and David Chalmers
17. The missing shade of blue. Original thought experiment by David Hume. Reflection by Liz Goodnick
18. The Cube and the Sphere (Molyneux' Question). Original thought experiment by William Molyneux featured in John Locke. Reflection by John Schwenkler
19. Mary in the black-and-white room. Original thought experiment by Frank Jackson. Reflection by Martina Fürst
20. Pierre's absence from the café. Original thought experiment by Jean Paul Sartre. Reflection by Sarah Richmond
21. Skywalk. Original thought experiment by Tamar Gendler. Reflection by Tamar Szabó Gendler
22. Accidental you. Original thought experiment by Ruth Millikan. Reflection by Ruth Millikan

V. Thought Experiments in Philosophy of Language

23. The morning star is the evening star. Original thought experiment by Gottlob Frege. Reflection by Ofra Magidor
24. Twin Earth. Original thought experiment by Hilary Putnam. Reflection by Antti Kauppinen
25. Gödel and Schmidt. Original thought experiment by Saul Kripke. Reflection by Genoveva Marti
26. Gagavai! Original thought experiment by W.V.O. Quine. Reflection by Dorit Bar-On
27. The beetle in the box. Original thought experiment by Ludwig Wittgenstein. Reflection by Constantine Sandis

VI. Thought Experiments in Metaphysics

28. Plato's allegory of the cave. Original thought experiment by Plato. Reflection by Taylor Carman
29. The prince and the cobbler. Original thought experiment by John Locke. Reflection by Jessica Gordon-Roth
30. The self and the chariot. Original thought experiment by Nāgasena. Reflection by Alexus McLeod
31. The flying man. Original thought experiment by Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna). Reflection by Scott Williams
32. The spear at the end of the universe. Original thought experiment by Lucretius. Reflection by Matthew Duncombe

VII. Thought Experiments in Decision theory

33. The Russian nobleman. Original thought experiment by Derek Parfit. Reflection by Richard Pettigrew
34. Becoming a vampire. Original thought experiment by L.A. Paul. Reflection by L.A. Paul.
35. Sleeping beauty. Original thought experiment by Adam Elga. Reflection by Kenny Easwaran

VIII. Thought Experiments in Philosophy of religion

36. Al Ghazi's Skeptical ruminations. Original thought experiment by Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazai. Reflection by Andrew Arlig and Bilal Ibrahim
37. Seeing color for the first time. Original thought experiment by Ibn Tufayl. Reflection by Eric Schliesser
38. The watch on the heath. Original thought experiment by William Paley. Reflection by Johan De Smedt
39. The invisible gardener. Original thought experiment by John Wisdom. Reflection by Kelli Potter
40. The fawn in the forest. Original thought experiment by William Rowe. Reflection by Beth Seacord
41. The rope-snake analogy. Original thought experiment by Asanga. Reflection by Bryce Huebner

IX. A thought experiment in Aesthetics

42. Red square. Original thought experiment by Arthur Danto. Reflection by Alex King