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Education
Thomas Kuhn was a famous historian and scientific philosopher. Kuhn earned an undergraduate and master's degree at Harvard University majoring in Physics. He also obtained a PhD in the history of science, making him well qualified in his field of expertise. These credentials were the beginning of his contribution to the philosophy and ideologies behind science. He then went on to teach at multiple universities. -
The First Books
Kuhn authored his first book, The Copernican Revolution, in which he dissected heliocentrism, which explains the motions of the planets in our solar system. His second book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, explained his infamous idea of "paradigms" in science. -
Black- Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity
Although Kuhn is primarily known for his work in the philosophy and history of science, he also contributed his brain to the fields of physical sciences. His first book was written about planetary science and motion. Kuhn later authored a book about the theories and history of quantum physics. Shockingly, in this book there is no mention of paradigms or paradigm shifts, which caused Kuhn his acknowledgment and appreciation in past and present science. -
Criticism
As with most scientists and philosophers, Kuhn received his fair share of criticism. Some people have called Kuhn's concepts and ideas dramatic and questionable. Although his arguments sometimes received backlash, they still influenced science at their time and continue to do so. -
Paradigms
Kuhn's ideas of paradigms in science, and the shifts of different paradigms (one process of thinking/idea leading to the next theory replacing the previous) revolutionized the philosophy of science. His theories and arguments triggered new ways of thinking and understanding for philosophers and scientists. His paradigm concept even influenced sociology, business, politics, and more. -
Death
Thomas Kuhn passed away in 1996, when he was working on another philosophical writing piece. It was about the understanding of science and scientific change, involving psychology. -
YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn8cCDtVd5w Here is a great video on Thomas Kuhn and his infamous paradigm concept. -
References
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality an Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. University of Chicago Press, 2003. Bird, Alexander. “Thomas Kuhn.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 31 Oct. 2018, plato.stanford.edu/entries/thomas-kuhn/#LifeCare.