<P>Newton's bucket, Einstein's elevator, Schrödinger's cat - these are some of the best-known examples of thought experiments in the natural sciences. But what function do these experiments perform? Are they really experiments at all? Can they help us gain a greater understanding of the natural world?&nbsp; How is it possible that we can learn new things just by thinking?&nbsp;&nbsp; </P>
<P>In this revised and updated new edition of his classic text <EM>The Laboratory of the Mind</EM>, James Robert Brown continues to defend apriorism in the physical world. This edition features two new chapters, one on "counter thought experiments" and another on the development of inertial motion.&nbsp; With plenty of illustrations and updated coverage of the debate between Platonic rationalism and classic empiricism, this is a lively and engaging contribution to the field of philosophy of science.</P>