oddlywarmpotato t1_j9jvb37 wrote
Everyone's focussing on ethics, but the use of thought experiments is widespread. The author of this article mentions the Gettier problems in epistemology, I'm currently churning through stuff like Mary the Scientist and pZombies in philosophy of mind.
In ethics I think the problem is more whether the thought experiments are formulated to "lead the witness". I question whether thought experiments like pZombies that are designed to flush out metaphysical truths are actually helpful.
black_brook t1_j9k02mn wrote
Even if an experiment isn't designed to lead the witness, it can still have that effect. Experiments and analogies tend to create situations ripe with pitfalls for our natural tendency to be lead astray by language.
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