According to Kuhn’s essay A Function for Thought Experiments (1964), thought experiments always teach us both about our concepts and about the world. Kuhn’s interpretation of thought experiments has two major points of strength, namely the close connection between theory and experimentation, and the rejection of the abstract juxtaposition of analytic and synthetic judgements. However, if on the one hand Kuhn clearly posits an intrinsic connection between real and thought experiments, on the other hand, he fails to distinguish coherently between them. One reason for this is that his incommensurability thesis directly questions the reference to nature, which he strongly defends for both types of experiments. For this reason, Kuhn tends towards a sociologistic stance, fully embraced by his followers, according to which the most important aspect of thought experiments is their persuasive power.
Kuhn: l'esperimento mentale fra scienza normale e scienza rivoluzionaria
BUZZONI, Marco
2013-01-01
Abstract
According to Kuhn’s essay A Function for Thought Experiments (1964), thought experiments always teach us both about our concepts and about the world. Kuhn’s interpretation of thought experiments has two major points of strength, namely the close connection between theory and experimentation, and the rejection of the abstract juxtaposition of analytic and synthetic judgements. However, if on the one hand Kuhn clearly posits an intrinsic connection between real and thought experiments, on the other hand, he fails to distinguish coherently between them. One reason for this is that his incommensurability thesis directly questions the reference to nature, which he strongly defends for both types of experiments. For this reason, Kuhn tends towards a sociologistic stance, fully embraced by his followers, according to which the most important aspect of thought experiments is their persuasive power.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
