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Thomas Kuhn, Born
Thomas Kuhn was Born 18 July 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Harvard University where he received a Master's in physics. Later, he obtained a Ph.D. in the history of science.
Once he finished his higher education he used his knowledge to teach at Harvard, University of California, Princeton, and MIT. -
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Thomas S. Kuhn 1922 - 1996
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Kuhn View Begins
Kuhn's theory could be traced to when as a teaching assistant he was preparing for a History of Science course. He was researching works by Aristotle and couldn't understand his idea of motion while "using Newtonian assumptions and categories of motion." Citation:
Marcum, James A. “Thomas S. Kuhn (1922—1996).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Baylor University, iep.utm.edu/kuhn-ts/#H1. Accessed 5 Feb. 2024. -
Kuhn's Lowell Lectures
In 1951 Kuhn presented lectures that departed from the traditional philosophy of science. He challenged that logic alone could prove scientific knowledge. He argued that scientific terms can have an unclear meaning. Citation:
Marcum, James A. “Thomas S. Kuhn (1922—1996).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Baylor University, iep.utm.edu/kuhn-ts/#H1. Accessed 5 Feb. 2024. -
The Copernican Revolution
1957 Kuhn published The Copernican Revolution, this book identified plurality which "was that scientists have philosophical and even religious commitments, which are important for the justification of scientific knowledge." This was in contrast to what traditional philosophers believed that it played little to no role. Citation:
Marcum, James A. “Thomas S. Kuhn (1922—1996).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Baylor University, iep.utm.edu/kuhn-ts/#H1. Accessed 5 Feb. 2024. -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
1962, Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, in which Kuhn introduced paradigm shifts. He used this to redefine the way change in scientific thought is made. "He described that like evolutionary change, one theory replaces another with a better fit between theory and nature vis-à-vis competitors." Citation:
Marcum, James A. “Thomas S. Kuhn (1922—1996).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Baylor University, iep.utm.edu/kuhn-ts/#H1. Accessed 5 Feb. 2024. -
Kuhn's Later Life
In 1991 Kuhn retired from teaching, and during his career, he received honorary degrees from about a dozen institutions. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Science and a member of the National Academy of Science. he received the Sarton Medal from the History of Science Society. additionally, he was the recipient of the Howard T. Behrman Award and John Desmond Bernal Award. He died on 17 June 1996 after suffering from cancer.