How build a mind experiment

Remember: A thought experiment is a tool philosophers use to test an idea by imagining a scenario, where they test conditions of possibility.  

1. Identify the Concept or Problem.

Start with the philosophical issue you want to test. Example: Is morality relative or universal?

2. Construct a Hypothetical Scenario

Now imagine a situation—often unusual, exaggerated, or impossible—that clarifies the concept.

Example: A traveler visits a culture where lying is considered a virtue (moral relativism).

3. Introduce a Twist or Tension

The power of a thought experiment comes from creating a possible contradiction or conflict that forces us to rethink assumptions.

Example: If lying is moral somewhere else, is morality objective?

4. Ask the Key Question

“If lying is good in their culture, is it still wrong in ours?”

5. Draw Out Implications

If morality can vary, then perhaps it’s not universal.