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Integrative design for thought-experiments.

Daniel Dohrn¹, Angelica Mezzadri²

¹Dipartimento di Filosofia "Piero Martinetti," Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy daniel.dohrn@unimi.it https://www.unimi.it/it/ugov/person/daniel-dohrn.

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|February 4, 2024

Summary

This study proposes extending integrative experiment design principles to methodical thought-experiments. This approach enhances the exploration of theoretical and experimental design spaces for scientific discovery.

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Area of Science:

Philosophy of Science
Experimental Design
Cognitive Science

Background:

Thought experiments are crucial in scientific theory development and experimental design.
Existing integrative experiment design frameworks do not explicitly encompass thought experiments.
The relationship between thought experiments and real experiments requires structured methodological consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose an extension of integrative experiment design to include thought experiments.
To provide a methodical framework for conducting thought experiments.
To bridge the gap between theoretical conceptualization and empirical validation through structured thought experimentation.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis of integrative experiment design principles.
Comparative analysis of thought experiments and real-world experiments.
Development of a framework for methodical thought experiment performance.

Main Results:

Integrative experiment design can be systematically applied to thought experiments.
A structured approach enhances the rigor and utility of thought experiments.
The proposed framework aids in partitioning and selecting experiments (both real and thought-based).

Conclusions:

Extending integrative experiment design to thought experiments offers a more methodical approach.
This integration strengthens the link between theoretical exploration and empirical research.
Methodical thought experiments are vital for optimizing the design space of scientific inquiry.