Whatever the original intent, the introduction of the term'thought experiment'has proved to be
one of the great public relations coups of science writing, For generations of readers of
scientific literature, the term has planted the seed of hope that the fragment of text they have
just read is more than mundane. Because it was a thought experiment, does it not tap into
that infallible font of all wisdom in empiricist science, the experiment? And because it was
conducted in thought, does it not miraculously escape the need for the elaborate …

The Canadian Journal of Philosophy est une publication trimestrielle paraissant en mars,
juin, septembre et octobre. Outre ses quatre fascicules reguliers, il publie, annuellement, un
supplement thematique d'articles inedits consacres a des sujets d'actualite philosophique.
Le supplement est offert gratuitement a tout abonne—particulier ou etudiant-de 1'annee
courante. Les supplements sont egalement disponibles a titre onereux.