Um , Leon I do not have any positive statements about telepathy with rocks ...but as to Einstein using a non scientific method...Um , I believe what you are talking about is his thought experiments and I think we have a different idea on what they are a part of.
He ( and I ) classify them as a part of critical thinking and scientific method .
And we are part of the majority who explore this issue in my opinion .
Here are some simple links on the subject :
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thought-experiment/
http://www.beep.ac.uk/content/281.0.html
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/06/16/aaup-session-centers-engaging-pedagogical-technique
In fact here is quote from one of the above sites :A thought experiment is an exercise in critical thinking End quote
And another quote
ating back to ancient Greece, thought experiments are imaginary scenarios explored to create new knowledge
And critical thinking is a part of scientific methodology
I have quotes to support that as well :the scientific method is a formalization of critical thinking
from
http://www.sdbonline.org/sites/archive/SDBEduca/dany_adams/critical_thinking.html
And also : Scientists often run
thought experiments — usually so they can be more efficient (to waste less of their valuable time and resources), but also occasionally for systems that cannot be physically observed — by asking "if we do this, what might happen and what would we learn?"
From :
http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/think/scientific-method.htm
And :The scientific method is one application of critical thinking. -true From :
http://quizlet.com/23624331/scientific-analysis-and-explanations-flash-cards/
And The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking defines critical thinking as the
intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. source Wikipedia.
Also from Wikipedia :
Thought experiments have been used in
philosophy (especially
ethics),
physics, and other fields (such as
cognitive psychology,
history,
political science,
economics,
social psychology,
law,
organizational studies,
marketing, and
epidemiology). In law, the synonym "hypothetical" is frequently used for such experiments.
Regardless of their intended goal, all thought experiments display a patterned way of thinking that is designed to allow us to explain, predict and control events in a better and more productive way.
And perhaps to the heart of the matter :
Scientists tend to use thought experiments in the form of imaginary, "proxy" experiments which they conduct prior to a real, "physical" experiment (
Ernst Mach always argued that these
gedankenexperiments were "a necessary precondition for physical experiment"). In these cases, the result of the "proxy" experiment will often be so clear that there will be no need to conduct a physical experiment at all.
Scientists also use thought experiments when particular physical experiments are impossible to conduct (
Carl Gustav Hempel labeled these sorts of experiment "
theoretical experiments-in-imagination"), such as
Einstein's thought experiment of chasing a light beam, leading to
Special Relativity. This is a unique use of a scientific thought experiment, in that it was never carried out, but led to a successful theory, proven by other empirical means. End quote.
So , the method scientists and I use are in fact called thought experiments and are a part of critical thinking and the scientific method.
Now , I do not use the same standards and full methodology as real academic and having lots of other resources scientists ( I am not a properly educated...anything ) but the point is they are a bona fide recognized longstanding part of critical thinking and scientific method .
I generally look at my Scientology experience and coordinate info from other fields , often by thought experiments of " if idea X from blah , blah school of hypnosis/persuasion is true and idea Y from a theory or part of psychology is true then phenomenon Z that I think may or may not have occured but was percievd to occur in Scientology and also described in way Q by Hubbard may in fact be - ? "
Then as I learn more and more on how methods build/interact and phenomena accompany triggering events and emotional , meantal and behavioral changes in individuals and pairs and groups and the surrounding individuals and groups etc. I form hypothesis ( like a real scientist ).
I then check things like sequences , duration , changes lessening or accompanying effects and many , many more factors and clues I now consider so routine as to often see a cluster of phenomena as often going together and having a sequence and predictability.
But in this is the thought experiment and going if this and then that what would I get ?
So , Leon if you could very clearly describe these other methods of knowledge I would be interested.
Simply put from my limited experience and everything I have read on how ideas are developed I believe both imagination and the critical factor play a role .
So I cannot fathom a body of knowledge without both .
Even if I just know or imagine knowledge it must past tests to remain acceptable or be passed on .
Those tests are part of scientific method even if other parts are not used , or used and not acknowledged as such .
So , I have no clue what this other method you are talking about is .
Good thinking .