Thought experiments have been used throughout history by great thinkers to expand our knowledge of ourselves and the world. In this course, you’ll explore fascinating thought experiments on subjects like personal identity and selfhood, special relativity and quantum mechanics, free will and moral responsibility, and what makes a life truly worth living. Join history’s great thinkers in The Power of Thought Experiments for an extraordinary journey into your own mind.
The Power of Thought Experiments
11h 54m 19s
English
Paid
About the Authors
Daniel Breyer
Daniel Breyer is a Professor of Philosophy at Illinois State University, where he also directs the Religious Studies program. He earned a PhD in Philosophy from Fordham University. He has received many accolades, including the Outstanding University Teacher Award, the highest instructional honor at Illinois State University. His research often explores thought experiments, and his articles have appeared in journals such as Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, and the Journal of Buddhist Ethics.
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Watch Online 24 lessons
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/ #1: 1. How thought experiments work
All Course Lessons (24)
| # | Lesson Title | Duration | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1. How thought experiments work Demo | 24:43 | |
| 2 | 2. Saving others or letting them die | 28:52 | |
| 3 | 3. What the trolley problem reveals about you | 27:22 | |
| 4 | 4. Suppose you're impartial; Suppose you care | 27:02 | |
| 5 | 5. Unmasking the hidden pitfails of testimony | 30:13 | |
| 6 | 6. Can you time-travel and change the past | 28:04 | |
| 7 | 7. Paradoxes as mental workouts | 30:53 | |
| 8 | 8. What Newcomb's paradox says about decisions | 29:56 | |
| 9 | 9. Stories as thought experiments | 29:08 | |
| 10 | 10. Einstein's revolutionary thought experiments | 31:57 | |
| 11 | 11. Galileo's and Schrodinger's thought experiments | 33:16 | |
| 12 | 12. What makes identify the same over time | 31:26 | |
| 13 | 13. Mind swapping and personal identity | 27:34 | |
| 14 | 14. Who are you after a brain transplant | 29:11 | |
| 15 | 15. Who are you right now | 30:24 | |
| 16 | 16. Exploring the mysteries of consciousness | 31:18 | |
| 17 | 17. When are you morally responsible | 30:30 | |
| 18 | 18. How luch changes moral thought experiments | 31:21 | |
| 19 | 19. Challenging whether you have free will | 31:59 | |
| 20 | 20. Suppose you're immortal. What do you value | 26:29 | |
| 21 | 21. Visit twin earth to explore meaning | 24:06 | |
| 22 | 22. How do you know when you know something | 32:42 | |
| 23 | 23. How to create civilization from chaos | 32:26 | |
| 24 | 24. Thought experiments as a way of life | 33:27 |
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| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Power of Thought Experiments |