Irina Starikova has presented a talk in Oxford

The senior research fellow of the International Laboratory for Logic, Linguistics and Formal Philosophy Irina Starikova has given a talk at the Ockham Society in Oxford. 

Irina Starikova gave a talk "Beyond diagrams: mathematical thought experiments"  at the Ockham Society  on 18th of October in Oxford, UK.

Abstract: 
In empirical science, the value of thought experiments (TEs) has been widely acknowledged. However, in an abstract domain like pure mathematics, thought experiments (MTEs) can also be valuable. A more careful look at mathematical practice suggests that MTEs actually extend the limits of rule-governed uses of diagrams and in certain cases they can be more effective than diagrams.

Through analyzing examples, I will show what advantages MTEs may have over standard diagram uses, with the aim of contributing to understanding how mathematical practices develop, in particular, how experimental they can be and how their empirical factors can be valuable.