Editing Thought experiment (section)

===Theoretical consequences===
In terms of their theoretical consequences, thought experiments generally:

* challenge (or even refute) a prevailing theory, often involving the device known as [[reductio ad absurdum]], (as in Galileo's original argument, a [[proof by contradiction]]),
* confirm a prevailing theory,
* establish a new theory, or
* simultaneously refute a prevailing theory and establish a new theory through a process of [[Mutual exclusivity|mutual exclusion]]