Thought experiments are a means of imaginative reasoning that lie at the heart of philosophy, from the pre-Socratics to the modern era, and they also play central roles in a range of fields, from physics to politics. The Routledge Companion to Thought Experiments is an invaluable guide and reference source to this multifaceted subject. Comprising over 30 chapters by a team of international contributors, the Companion covers the following important areas:

· the history of thought experiments, from antiquity to the trolley problem and quantum non-locality;

· thought experiments in the humanities, arts, and sciences, including ethics, physics, theology, biology, mathematics, economics, and politics;

· theories about the nature of thought experiments;

· new discussions concerning the impact of experimental philosophy, cross-cultural comparison studies, metaphilosophy, computer simulations, idealization, dialectics, cognitive science, the artistic nature of thought experiments, and metaphysical issues.

This broad ranging Companion goes backwards through history and sideways across disciplines. It also engages with philosophical perspectives from empiricism, rationalism, naturalism, skepticism, pluralism, contextualism, and neo-Kantianism to phenomenology. This volume will be valuable for anyone studying the methods of philosophy or any discipline that employs thought experiments, as well as anyone interested in the power and limits of the mind.

Thought experiments lie at the very heart of the study of philosophy, from the pre-Socratics to the modern era. They also play an important role in many other subjects including physics, economics, psychology and cognitive science. The Routledge Companion to Thought Experiments is an outstanding guide and reference source to this multi-faceted subject.

"The Routledge Companion to Thought Experiments is a valuable resource for anyone interested in thought experiments. It contains discussions of the identity and nature of thought experiments, their roles in different disciplines, the ways they figure in reasoning and representation, andtheir contributions to understanding." Catherine Z. Elgin, Harvard University, USA "This companion is a faithful reflection of contemporary discussions over thought experiments, which are more rich and complex than can be indicated in this short review." Carla Rita Palmerino, Metascience, 2019 "The Routledge Companion to Thought Experiments is an extensive reference work for the lover of thought experiments. Scientists, philosophers and historians get their money's worth due to the multitude of perspectives included in the collection." James Robert Brown, The Reading Club of Everything, 2020