Thought experiments: the philosophical and educa¬tional aspect
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31874/2309-1606-2022-28-2-9Keywords:
thought experiments, philosophy, science, methodology, philosophy of education, philosophy of science, argumentation, thinking, philosophical argumentationAbstract
In recent years, one can observe great interest in such a phenomenon as thought experiments in various fields of science and philosophy. In research, they are usually seen as tools for argumentation or presentation of some theory. The author of this article will consider thought experiments instead from the point of view of use in the educational process. Also, thought experiments will be analyzed as one of the options for checking the level of understanding of some material from the educational course, which adds creativity and creativity to the educational process not only for the teacher but also for other participants of the educational process (pupils, students, graduate students). The proposed classification of thought experiments will help improve the educational process and interest in the subject. The article provides examples from the history of philosophy and science, which illustrate the importance of thought experiments for learning and emphasize their use as a tool (or skill) when working in a specific field of science. Examples of the use of thought experiments in the educational process of different countries, recommendations from international educational organizations, and the provision of a specific algorithm for their application were given. An improvement of this process, which primarily appeals to everyday experience, is proposed. Some recommendations from the work of modern logic are given for a clearer and stricter use of such reasoning as reasoning by analogy. A comparison was made regarding the attitude to the thought experiments of such scientists as Thomas Kuhn, Karl Popper, and Georg Lichtenberg. Attention is focused on using thought experiments to improve understanding of concepts and theories and increase the creative component and interactivity during all types of classes.
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