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thought experiments  

Definition

  • A thought experiment is an experiment that aims to persuade by reflection on its design rather than by its execution. After reviewing the origin of thought experiments and the empiricist-rationalist debate over their effectiveness, this entry concentrates on Ernst Mach's influential account. [Source: Encyclopedia of Research Design; Thought Experiments]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/thought_experiments

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