Editing Thought experiment (section)

{{Short description|Hypothetical situation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Lead too short|date=July 2023}}
[[File:Schrodingers cat.svg|thumb|right|[[Schrödinger's cat]] (1935) presents a cat that is in a superposition of alive and dead states, depending on a random [[quantum indeterminacy|quantum]] event. It illustrates the counter-intuitive implications of Bohr's [[Copenhagen interpretation]] when applied to everyday objects.<ref name= catState >{{ cite journal| author1-first=Marius| author1-last= Bild | author2-first=Matteo| author2-last= Fadel | author3-first=Yu| author3-last= Yang |author4-first=Uwe von | author4-last= Lüpke | author5-first=Phillip| author5-last= Martin |author6-first=Alessandro | author6-last= Bruno | author7-first=Yiwen| author7-last= Chu |          date= 20 Apr 2023 | title= Schrödinger cat states of a 16-microgram mechanical oscillator | journal= Science | volume=380| number= 6642 | pages=  274–278 | doi=10.1126/science.adf7553 | pmid= 37079693 | arxiv= 2211.00449 | bibcode= 2023Sci...380..274B | display-authors=3}}</ref>]]

A '''thought experiment''' is an imaginary scenario that is meant to elucidate or test an argument or theory. It is often an experiment that would be hard, impossible, or unethical to actually perform. It can also be an abstract hypothetical that is meant to test our intuitions about morality or other fundamental philosophical questions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1= Miyamoto |first1= Kentaro |last2= Rushworth |first2= Matthew F.S. |last3= Shea |first3= Nicholas |date= 2023-05-01 |title= Imagining the future self through thought experiments |journal= Trends in Cognitive Sciences |volume= 27 |issue= 5 |pages= 446–455 |doi= 10.1016/j.tics.2023.01.005 |issn= 1364-6613|doi-access= free |pmid= 36801162 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last= Gendler |first= Tamar Szabó |date= 2022-01-01 |title= Thought Experiments Rethought—and Reperceived |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/philosophy-of-science/article/abs/thought-experiments-rethoughtand-reperceived/16866841933D6D8599379B47F6A25245 |journal=Philosophy of Science |language= en |volume= 71 |issue= 5 |pages= 1152–1163 |doi= 10.1086/425239 |s2cid= 144114290 |issn= 0031-8248|url-access= subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last= Grush |first= Rick |date= 2004-06-01 |title= The emulation theory of representation: Motor control, imagery, and perception |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioral-and-brain-sciences/article/abs/emulation-theory-of-representation-motor-control-imagery-and-perception/20AF7D2B406EE14EDFFD3CB47C69A5E7 |journal= Behavioral and Brain Sciences |language= en |volume=2 7 |issue= 3 |pages= 377–396 |doi= 10.1017/S0140525X04000093 |pmid= 15736871 |s2cid= 514252 |issn= 0140-525X}}</ref><ref>Aronowitz, S., & Lombrozo, T. (2020). Learning through simulation. ''Philosophers' Imprint'', ''20''(1), 1-18.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1= Bourget |first1= David |last2= Chalmers |first2= David J. |date= 2023-07-25 |title= Philosophers on Philosophy: The 2020 PhilPapers Survey |journal= Philosophers' Imprint |volume= 23 |issue=1 |doi=10.3998/phimp.2109 |issn=1533-628X|doi-access=free }}</ref>