
The Power of Thought Experiments
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Narrated by:
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Daniel Breyer
About this listen
Thought experiments are “what if” scenarios that invite us to look carefully at how we think and view the world. They’ve been used throughout history by philosophers and other thinkers to explore our intuitions and ways of reasoning, to find solutions to problems, and to expand our knowledge of ourselves and the world.
In these 24 eye-opening lectures, Professor Breyer takes you deeply into the historical tradition of thought experiments, shining a light on both the purpose and the outcomes of these compelling mental voyages:
· The Parameters of Ethics. Work through problems that look at what our moral obligations are to others and that challenge our sense of what’s right and wrong, and what we should or shouldn’t do.
· The Boundaries of Identity. Grasp how thought experiments offer a valuable window into what defines the “you” you know yourself to be. Is identity necessarily related to the body? Where does the self begin and where does it end?
· “Schrödinger’s Cat.” Within quantum mechanics, see how Schrödinger’s scenario, which pictures a cat and a potentially lethal device within a steel chamber, uncovers a serious theoretical problem: according to the standard view of quantum theory, the cat in the chamber is both alive and dead.
· Is Your Will Free? We think of ourselves as acting from free will. But is this the case? Study thought experiments that assess whether our choices are truly free, or whether they’re determined by prior or surrounding causes.
· A Brush with Immortality. You’ve taken a pill that allows you to live forever. Witness how thought experiments have been used to explore immortality as a means for investigating whether endless life is truly desirable, and what makes a (mortal) life truly worth living.
Professor Breyer’s wide-ranging presentation makes these lectures both illuminating and richly enjoyable. Join history’s great thinkers in The Power of Thought Experiments—for an extraordinary journey into your own mind.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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Religion is foundational to what it means to be human. Our quest for meaning is as ancient as our very existence, stretching back to a time when Neanderthal burials and Paleolithic figurines suggest our ancestors recognized a power that transcended visible reality. From ancient civilizations to the 21st century, belief in a higher power seems to be a universal human instinct. These 12 thought-provoking lectures introduce you to the world of comparative religion, giving you insights into a variety of religious expressions and human cultures.
By: Robert Garland, and others
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What America’s Founders Learned from Antiquity
- By: Caroline Winterer, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Caroline Winterer
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
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Many Americans know that our nation’s founders drew inspiration from the political systems of ancient Rome and Greece. But what exactly were these influences? And did they shape the United States in far-reaching ways? In these 24 compelling lectures, Professor Winterer takes you on a journey into the thought and actions of the American revolutionaries, showing how classical antiquity shaped every aspect of the revolutionary and founding era.
By: Caroline Winterer, and others
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Warping Reality: Inside the Psychology of Cults
- By: Wind Goodfriend, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Wind Goodfriend
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
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In the 12 fascinating lectures of Warping Reality: Inside the Psychology of Cults, you will learn about some of the most widely known cults of modern times. But unlike any standard news reporting or documentary about the Peoples Temple, The Manson “Family,” The Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, Children of God, the Unification Church, and NXIVM, your expert, Dr. Wind Goodfriend, will help you explore the psychology of these cults. How could these cult leaders have committed such heinous crimes under the guise of “helping” members in their development?
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cults through he eyes of a feminist
- By Maxwell J Oss on 02-09-25
By: Wind Goodfriend, and others
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Understanding Complexity
- By: Scott E. Page, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Scott E. Page
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
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Recent years have seen the introduction of concepts from the new and exciting field of complexity science that have captivated the attention of economists, sociologists, engineers, businesspeople, and many others. These include tipping points, the wisdom of crowds, six degrees of separation (or Kevin Bacon), and emergence. Complexity science can shed light on why businesses or economies succeed and fail, how epidemics spread and can be stopped, and what causes ecological systems to rebalance themselves after a disaster.
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Good but basic
- By Spencer on 08-24-19
By: Scott E. Page, and others
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Understanding Cognitive Biases
- By: Alexander B. Swan, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Alexander B. Swan
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
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In Understanding Cognitive Biases, you will learn how to recognize biases for what they are, counteract them when necessary, and even use them to your advantage in some instances. In 24 fascinating lectures, Dr. Alexander B. Swan uses examples from psychology experiments, history, politics, movies, TV, comics, social media, and more to illustrate dozens of cognitive biases that affect us all.
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Interesting, informative and well organized
- By William on 07-11-23
By: Alexander B. Swan, and others
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Law School for Everyone: Constitutional Law
- By: Eric Berger, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Eric Berger
- Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
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Americans wage many of today’s fiercest policy debates and culture wars over constitutional meaning. It’s because constitutional law is so fundamental to our democracy that law schools across the country teach the subject. It's the area of law that determines what federal and state governments are permitted to do, and what rights you have as an individual citizen of the US. Here, you'll get the same accessible, well-rounded introduction to constitutional law as a typical law student - but with the added benefit of noted constitutional scholar Eric Berger's brilliant insights.
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Read with this Neil Gorsuch!
- By Amazon Customer on 02-03-20
By: Eric Berger, and others
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Understanding Disorders of the Brain
- By: Sandy Neargarder, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Sandy Neargarder
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
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Science has come a long way in solving the mysteries of the human brain, but we still have a long way to go. Understanding Disorders of the Brain is a powerful introduction to the journey of brain science in the 21st century and an excellent addition to your lifelong learning library.
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Alzheimer's and Dementia
- By Chani on 08-15-22
By: Sandy Neargarder, and others
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Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- By: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
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No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
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Same Material Different Title
- By rkeinc on 09-21-14
By: Steven Novella, and others
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Propaganda and Persuasion
- By: Dannagal G. Young, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dannagal G. Young
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
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Propaganda and Persuasion gives you a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore the powerful, fascinating, and at times dangerous world of influence. Taught by Professor Dannagal G. Young of the University of Delaware, these 12 eye-opening lectures arm you with the tools of effective communication and the insight to understand—and perhaps resist—persuasion in all its forms.
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good course minus the progressive slant
- By H.B. on 05-21-23
By: Dannagal G. Young, and others
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No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
- By: Robert C. Solomon, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert C. Solomon
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
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What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.
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Good for even a non-existentialist
- By Gary on 07-24-15
By: Robert C. Solomon, and others
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Law School for Everyone: Corporate Law
- By: George S. Geis, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor George S. Geis
- Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins
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These 12 lectures answer questions about a high-stakes, ever-evolving area of the American legal system. Recreating a traditional law school course in corporate law, Professor Geis guides you through the foundations of corporate law, the history of corporations, the problems that can plague corporations (including insider trading and bribery), and more. In clear, accessible language, Law School for Everyone: Corporate Law introduces you to the inner workings of corporate law.
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It's a winner
- By Philo on 10-20-19
By: George S. Geis, and others
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Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World
- By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins
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The 24 revealing lectures of Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World reconstruct over a dozen biographies from the classical world—most of them little-known, some of them quite unlikely heroes. With Professor Emeritus Gregory Aldrete as your expert guide, you will meet the ambitious travel writers, dedicated engineers, careful cartographers, diligent farmers, woman philosophers, devoted wives, skilled military generals, African rebels, Persian kings, and impressive athletes who stood out among their peers centuries ago.
By: Gregory S. Aldrete, and others
Interesting and thought provoking
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Consistent, Insightful, a Brilliant Discourse In Thought Experiments!
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Real Life Pholosophy
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Excellent course!!
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I highly recommend this course, especially to beginners in philosophy. There’s a nice variety of topics to help get some breadth. Breyer’s teaching style is informative and engaging. This series deserves a re-listen.
Thought experiments are fascinating pieces of philosophy.
Excellent introduction to philosophy
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Not as Advertised
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Whatever the reason, finishing this course became a chore. I enjoy thought experiments, and will continue to do so, just in smaller, self-regulated doses.
* It’s instructive to compare Professor Patrick Grim’s cogent 5-minute analysis of “The Trolley Problem” in his excellent “Philosopher’s Toolkit” course with Breyer’s 30-minute rumination on the same thought experiment in lecture 3. Citing psychological research based on FMRI scans, Grim argues persuasively that a person’s response to this sort of sacrifice-one-life-to-save-five scenario depends upon how many emotional centers it activates in the brain. Breyer eventually gets around to citing this research too, it just takes him a lot longer.
Imagine a Course That Seems Promising, but . . .
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