<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Novels and thought experiments can be pathways to different kinds of knowledge. We may, however, be hard pressed to say exactly what can be learned from novels but not from thought experiments. Headway on this matter can be made by spelling out their respective conditions for epistemic failure. Thought experiments fail in their epistemic role when they neither yield propositional knowledge nor contribute to an argument. They are largely in the business of ‘knowing that’. Novels, on the other hand can be an epistemic success by yielding ‘knowledge how’. They can help us to improve our competences.</p></abstract>

Novels and thought experiments can be pathways to different kinds of knowledge. We may, however, be hard pressed to say exactly what can be learned from novels but not from thought experiments. Headway on this matter can be made by spelling out their respective conditions for epistemic failure. Thought experiments fail in their epistemic role when they neither yield propositional knowledge nor contribute to an argument. They are largely in the business of ‘knowing that’. Novels, on the other hand can be an epistemic success by yielding ‘knowledge how’. They can help us to improve our competences.

Thought Experiments and Novels

Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Studia Humana

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Thought Experiments and Novels"}

Novels and thought experiments can be pathways to different kinds of knowledge. We may, however, be hard pressed to say exactly what can be learned from novels...

Thought Experiments and Novels

Published Online: Mar 30, 2019

Page range: 84 - 92

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sh-2019-0006

Keywords
thought experiments, knowing how, knowing that, emotion, impoverished narratives

© 2019 Tony Milligan, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Thought Experiments and Novels

Published Online: Mar 30, 2019

Page range: 84 - 92

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sh-2019-0006

Keywordsthought experiments, knowing how, knowing that, emotion, impoverished narratives

© 2019 Tony Milligan, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
thought experiments, knowing how, knowing that, emotion, impoverished narratives