The Power of Thought Experiments

Have you ever wondered what it means to be immortal? Or how you would act in a life-or-death situation? Or what would happen if you could travel back in time?

If you’ve ever thought about questions like these, you’re already familiar with the world of thought experiments. Thought experiments are “what if” scenarios—hypothetical situations that invite us to look rigorously at how we think and view the world.

In The Power of Thought Experiments, award-winning philosopher Daniel Breyer of Illinois State University takes you around the world and across intellectual traditions to explore the power of thought experiments—from ancient Greece and China to contemporary science and philosophy. The course invites you on a diverse intellectual journey that will challenge the way you think by asking you to consider thought experiments that range from the mundane to the fantastic, not just for fun, but always with a discerning eye for why great thinkers considered them and what insights they reveal.