Thought Experiments

Replying to Thought Experiments and Case Studies

For the purposes of our class the response paper is 5 pages.  There are four key areas you should cover in those 5 pages (homework is 3 pages)  Below is geared to the 5 page paper. For homework, it is 20% shorter.

Find and describe the elements of the thought experiment. What is it trying to do?  What is the point?  Interpret any key terms and show why they are necessary to your interpretation of what is happening.
Set out the relevant practical and theoretical philosophical principles at stake and apply them to the problem.
Solve the problem set out in the thought experiment.
Reflect on the significance of your solution.  What 3 abstract general points about the world have now been elucidated?  * most important point. At least a page.

Rubric.  If you represent all four points sequentially in your paper you will earn some kind of “B” grade (so long as you are also close to 5 pages, i.e., within a half-page under or a full page over).  To get a high “B” or an “A-“ or “A” grade you will have to do well on the reflection bullet.