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Discussion » Questions » Life and Society » What famous "thought experiments" do you know in different fields?

What famous "thought experiments" do you know in different fields?

As in physics, philosophy, mathematics, economics, etc.

Posted - November 26, 2016

Responses


  • 372
    Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous. When published, it was thought only 12 people understood it. Today it's taught routinely in high school physics classes. 
      November 26, 2016 12:34 PM MST
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  • 5808
    just the one
    where you make thought disappear.
    Field of Oneness
      November 26, 2016 1:28 PM MST
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  • 3934

    The ones which interest me the most have to do with the strangeness of quantum mechanics. At the core of quantum mechanics are two fundamental problems for which the physics community does not have good explanations.

    One is what's called The Measurement Problem. The mathematics of quantum mechanics only predicts probabilities of things happening, yet at some point probabilities turn into realities. For example, flipping a coin goes from a superposition of probabilities of "heads" and "tails" to a definite result (either "heads" or "tails"). We know the position of an electron or the value of a flipped coin because we do something to "measure" the result. But what constitutes a "measurement"? That question leads to lots of thought experiments about what circumstances and/or objects create a "measurement."

    The other is the Entanglement Problem (or sometimes "Spooky action at a distance"). Without going into too many details, there are some situations described by quantum mechanics where two objects are in some sense "entangled" such that an action with affects one of the two objects instantaneously also has an effect upon the other entangled object, no matter how far away the other object is. This observation violates relativity theory (which implies no influence can propogate faster than the speed of light). Again, lots of thought experiments have been produced trying to explain how entanglement works.

      November 26, 2016 1:49 PM MST
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  • 6988
    This sounds like 'Bell's Theorem'.
      November 26, 2016 2:12 PM MST
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  • 3934
    @bhw -- Yes, Bell's Theorem is one of the variants of quantum entanglement. I believe Bell's Theorem applies to a particular kind of entanglement, but similar distant-invariant instantaneous influence is observed in other quantum phenomena.
      November 26, 2016 2:34 PM MST
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  • Most of the ones in philosophy – almost none of the others.

    In philosophy:

    Survival Lottery, Ticking Time Bomb, Zeno’s Paradox, Big Book, Utility Monster, Experience Machine, Trolley Problem, The Violinist, Condillac’s Statue, Simulated Reality, Mary’s Room, Philosophical Zombie, Ship of Theseus, China Brain, Chinese Room, Brain in a Vat, Brianstorm Machine, Swamp Man, Artificial Brain, Twin Earth, Changing Places, Time Without Change, Zeno’s Paradox, Gettier & Hay Ibn YaqZan, Prisoner’s Dilemma, Social Contract, Beetle in a Box, Inverted Spectrum, Coherence, Kavka’s Toxin.

    I can’t remember which ones I’ve forgotten.

      November 26, 2016 1:55 PM MST
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  • 3934
    Here they are combined into one....;-D...

    http://web.mit.edu/jemorris/humor/ethics.question
      November 26, 2016 1:58 PM MST
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  • Thanks - I enjoyed that.
    Because the difference between the Twin Earths has no influence on the conditions for this quandary, the placement on Twin Earth is irrelevant.
    I loaded the conditions of the problem into a table which recorded the outcomes of the choices for each track.
    Seeing it in visual format clarified instantly that no matter which track the brain chooses, the outcome is exactly the same.
    None of the long list of variables makes a difference.
    If the brain chooses a path or leaves it to random chance, the outcome still remains the same.
    Again the same applies to the brain being intermittently deceived and unable be certain of the outcome of its decision - no change.
    That the brain's experience will be transmitted to other brains, also makes no difference, for they are none the wiser whether they have the information or not.

    It seems like a dilemma for which there is no ethically correct solution. In that situation, my choice would be a psychological one, choosing an attitude of self-absolution so as not to carry guilt for outcomes over which I could have no possible influence irrespective of my choices or actions.

    However, getting close to the end of the problems we come to two new conditions. The outcome of the wars is not specified, but the unjust war with no war crimes might be the better one to spare because it offers the better prospect for later reforming injustice with least harm done. This tips the balance very slightly in the direction of choosing the left path to save the right-hand one.
    And I'm not going to write the support arguments here, because I think it would bore everyone to hell.

    The best thing about this exercise is to show us the way our minds attempt to explore the what if's when we have made mistakes. There are some circumstances where it is impossible to predict the probable outcomes, and so it is foolish to blame ourselves for things over which we have no control.

    That sort of question tickles my brain far more effectively than a feather on my ribs. So, thank you, OldSchool, yet again. :-) This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at November 27, 2016 12:27 AM MST
      November 26, 2016 6:17 PM MST
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  • Maxwell's demon
    Popper's Experiment
    Twin Paradox
    Sleeping Beauty Paradox
    Gabriel's Horn
    Inverted Spectrum
    Prisoners dilemma
    Trolly problem


    The ones I like the most deal with physics and mathematics.
      November 26, 2016 2:11 PM MST
    3