The Nature and Role of Thought Experiments in Solving Conceptual Physics Problems

Kösem, Şule; Özdemir, Ömer Faruk

doi:10.1007/s11191-013-9635-0

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Adúriz-Bravo's (2013) philosophical analysis makes the case for a ''semantic'' view of scientific models for science education to be pursued. Thought experiments, both in the conduct of science and productively in relation to its teaching, have been considered in recent articles by Reiner and Burko (2003), Galili (2009), Blown and Bryce (2012) and Kösem and Ö zdemir (2014). In the article by Justi and Gilbert (2002) and the text by Gilbert and Boulter (2012), both models and modelling are discussed extensively.…”

Section: Mental Models and Modelling In The Science Education Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Manipulating Models and Grasping the Ideas They Represent

Bryce

Blown

2016

Sci & Educ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article notes the convergence of recent thinking in neuroscience and grounded cognition regarding the way we understand mental representation and recollection: ideas are dynamic and multi-modal, actively created at the point of recall. Also, neurophysiologically, re-entrant signalling among cortical circuits allows non-conscious processing to support our deliberative thoughts and actions. The qualitative research we describe examines the exchanges occurring during semi-structured interviews with 360 children age 3-13, including 294 from New Zealand (158 boys, 136 girls) and 66 from China (34 boys, 32 girls) concerning their understanding of the shape and motion of the Earth, Sun and Moon (ESM). We look closely at the relationships between what is revealed as children manipulate their own play-dough models and their apparent understandings of ESM concepts. In particular, we focus on the switching taking place between what is said, what is drawn and what is modelled. The evidence is supportive of Edelman's view that memory is non-representational and that concepts are the outcome of perceptual mappings, a view which is also in accord with Barsalou's notion that concepts are simulators or skills which operate consistently across several modalities. Quantitative data indicate that the dynamic structure of memory/concept creation is similar in both genders and common to the cultures/ethnicities compared (New Zealand European and Māori; Chinese Han) and that repeated interviews in this longitudinal research lead to more advanced modelling skills and/or more advanced shape and motion concepts, the results supporting hypotheses (Kolmogorov-Smirnov alpha levels .05; r s : p \ .001).

show abstract

Section: Mental Models and Modelling In The Science Education Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Manipulating Models and Grasping the Ideas They Represent

Bryce

Blown

2016

Sci & Educ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It was seen that students were able to think deeply, imagine situations beyond their everyday life experiences and try to use their scientific knowledge, [8]. Thought experiment implementation helped students both to overcome borders in understanding the laws of physics and to modify their ideas related to physics topics, especially on universe.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of physics thought experiments’ effects on students’ logical problem solving skills

İnce

Acar

Atakan

2016

SHS Web of Conferences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The purpose of this study, investigation of physics thought experiments' effects on students' logical problem-solving skills in collaborative groups. In this context, it was requested to undergraduate students who have taken General Physics I and General Physics II to develop thought experiments in order to solve daily life problems. At the next stage, students' thought experiments were classified according to common issues in cooperative groups and were asked to try to solve the problems by using thought experiments' process from each group. As a result of this study; students' thought experiments related to daily life were developed and problem solving processes have been presented in detail.

show abstract

“…I highlight these passages which focus on thought experiments because of their use of the imagination. In the process of conceptual re nement, both students and experts have been documented using imaginary worlds to invent and re ne hy-potheses, in many di erent problem solving scenarios (see for example, Stephens & Clement 2006, Clement 2009, Kosem & Özdemir 2014.…”

Section: Conceptual Analysis and Linguistic Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Philosophical Conceptual Analysis as an Experimental Method

Stuart¹

2021

Meaning, Frames, and Conceptual Representation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Philosophical conceptual analysis is an experimental method. Focusing on this helps to justify it from the skepticism of experimental philosophers who follow Weinberg, Nichols & Stich (2001). To explore the experimental aspect of philosophical conceptual analysis, I consider a simpler instance of the same activity: everyday linguistic interpretation. I argue that this, too, is experimental in nature. And in both conceptual analysis and linguistic interpretation, the intuitions considered problematic by experimental philosophers are necessary but epistemically irrelevant. They are like variables introduced into mathematical proofs which drop out before the solution. Or better, they are like the hypotheses that drive science, which do not themselves need to be true. In other words, it does not matter whether or not intuitions are accurate as descriptions of the natural kinds that undergird philosophical concepts; the aims of conceptual analysis can still be met.

show abstract

The Nature and Role of Thought Experiments in Solving Conceptual Physics Problems

Cited by 15 publications

References 36 publications

Manipulating Models and Grasping the Ideas They Represent

Manipulating Models and Grasping the Ideas They Represent

Investigation of physics thought experiments’ effects on students’ logical problem solving skills

Philosophical Conceptual Analysis as an Experimental Method

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About