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18 July 1922 Birth to Early Life
Thomas Samuel Kuhn was born 18 July 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio (Parrott-Sheffer, 2019). Kuhn attended four different schools throughout his early education and earned a bachelors of science in Physics in 1943 (Famous Scientists, 2019) -
1943 World War II Contributions
Thomas Kuhn joined the Radio Research Laboratory’s theoretical group in 1943 to develop countermeasures against adversary radars (Famous Scientists, 2019). His work began at Harvard University but he traveled to England, France, and Germany for his work (Famous Scientists, 2019). -
1946-1949 Earned a Masters Degree and PhD in Physics
Thomas Kuhn earned his Master’s degree in physics in 1946 and his PhD in 1949 at Harvard University (Famous Scientists, 2019). Thomas Kuhn Published “The Cohesive Energy of Monovalent Metals as a Function of the Atomic Quantum Defects" for his PhD thesis (Famous Scientists, 2019). -
1957 Published "The Copernican Revolution"
Thomas Kuhn published “The Copernican Revolution” in 1957 (Parrott-Steffen, 2019). This was Thomas Kuhn’s published concept on Copernicus’s idea which initiated a scientific revolution by comparing it to Ptolemy’s previous model (Famous Scientists, 2019). -
1962 Published “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions”
Thomas Kuhn published “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” in 1962 (Parrott-Sheffer, 2019). "Structure" is known as Thomas Kuhn’s most influential work where he introduces paradigm shifts, normal science, and incommensurability to the world (Famous Scientists, 2019). "Structure" shifted the scientists away from empiricist views (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). An explanation of normal science is explained here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGZEZ96ynI (Leiden University, 2017). -
1977-1978 Published “The Essential Tension” and “Black Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity”
While teaching at Princeton University and later the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Thomas Kuhn continued to publish works such as “The Essential Tension” in 1977 and “Black Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity” in 1978 (Parrott-Sheffer, 2019; Famous Scientists, 2019). -
1991 Retirement and major career contributions
Thomas Kuhn retired in 1991 (Famous Scientists, 2019). During his career his work of questioning scientific progression, introducing the paradigm shift, and explaining the ability to understand the reasoning behind previous theories would affect science, economics, political science, sociology, and business management (Parrott-Sheffer, 2019; Famous Scientists, 2019). -
17 June 1996 Death
From 1994-1996 Thomas Kuhn fought lung and throat cancer. He died from his illness on June 17, 1996 (Famous Scientists, 2019). -
Works Cited
Works Cited “Chapter 2.1: Thomas Kuhn, Normal Science.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGZEZ96ynI Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality : An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. University of Chicago Press, 2003. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=nlebk&AN=324622&site=ehost-live&scope=site. -
Works Cited Continued
Reed, Jane. “Portrait of Kuhn, a Thalheimer Lecturer, at Approximately 60 Years Old in His Office.” John Hopkins Sheridan Libraries, John Hopkins University, 8 Mar. 1985, https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/54485. -
Works Cited Continued
Parrott-Sheffer , Chelsey. “Thomas S. Kuhn.” Encyclopedia Britanica , Encyclopedia Britanica Inc, 14 July 2019,
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-S-Kuhn. "Thomas Kuhn." Famous Scientists. famousscientists.org. 12 Jun. 2017. Web. 11/10/2019
<www.famousscientists.org/thomas-kuhn/>.