Thought Experiments - The Decision Lab

Thought ExperimentsThe Basic IdeaThe Basic IdeaHistoryConsequencesControversiesCase StudiesRelated TDL ContentThe Basic IdeaHistoryConsequencesControversiesCase StudiesRelated TDL Content

The Basic Idea

Have you ever been sitting around a campfire, when your friend proposes an outlandish, open-ended question? Perhaps they ask you something simple, like what you would do with a billion dollars, or what animal you would want to be if you could shapeshift. Sometimes, however, you might accidentally create a profound hypothetical question, which doesn’t appear to have an easy answer. If so, you may have stumbled upon a thought experiment.

Thought experiments are defined as the mental process of using hypotheticals to logically reason out a solution to a difficult question. As the name suggests, thought experiments often try to simulate the experimental process through imagination alone. We use thought experiments when actually performing said experiment would be ethically, physically, or financially impossible. Typically, thought experiments end up being circular and rhetorical, as they are designed to emphasize a point, rather than fully answer a question. Thought experiments are used across disciplines, but most often used in the realms of philosophy or theoretical sciences.1 

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Strap a piece of toast -buttered side up- to the back of a cat. Throw the cat out of the window. Will the cat land on its feet or will Murphy’s law apply?

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Triumph Kerins

Triumph is passionate about understanding how human behavior influences our world. Whether it be global macroeconomics or neural networks, he is fascinated by how complex systems work, as well as how our own behavior can help create, sustain, and break these systems. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Psychology at McGill University, attempting to design an interdisciplinary approach to better understand all the quirks that make us human. He has experience in non-profit consulting, journalism, and research. Outside of work, you can find Triumph playing bass guitar, gardening, or down at a local basketball court.

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