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Who is Thomas Kuhn
He was American philosopher of science who was born on July 18, 1922, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in New York City and is best known for his work on the history and philosophy of science. He also served in the army during World War II from 1943-1946. Kuhn passed away from lung cancer on June 17th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. -
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Career
After completing his studies, Kuhn worked as an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1951 to 1956. He then moved to Princeton University, where he taught until 1964. In 1964, Kuhn joined Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he remained until his death in 1996. -
The Copernican Revolution
The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought is another famous book written by Thomas Kuhn. In this book he explores the evolution of Western thought and its relationship with the development of astronomy. The book examines the historical context of the Copernican Revolution, which saw the shift from the Earth-centered Ptolemaic system to the Sun-centered Copernican system. -
Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, which introduced the concept of paradigm shifts and revolutionized the philosophy of science. Kuhn argued that scientific progress is not linear but rather follows a pattern of normal science, crisis, and revolution. Thomas Kuhn -
Medal recipient
Kuhn received the George Sarton Medal from the History of Science Society for his contributions to the field. It was well deserved despite the controversy surrounding his ideas, Kuhn remains one of the most influential philosophers of science of the 20th century. His work continues to shape our understanding of how scientific progress occurs and how scientists should approach their research.