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Kuhn's Roots
Thomas Kuhn's initial formal education was centered around physics. After his formal education he spent a number of years teaching and assisting with professional research at Harvard University. After moving to California to continue teaching at Cal Berkely, he was introduced to Feyerabend, among other philosophers. His interest in the philosophy of science grew exponentially and led to him authoring The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, paving the way for what was to come. -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
The release of this controversial book was arguably the most significant scientific event of the century. Kuhn introduced the idea of paradigm shifts as the way of scientific revolutions. This book addressed the idea that science does not progress linearly, but rather undergoes stable periods of growth and is essentially shaken up and completely revised during a paradigm shift. -
Incommensurability
Not only did Kuhn unveil the revolutionary concept of paradigm shifts, but he also introduced the idea of incommensurability. Incommensurability states that there is no common, objective standard with which to measure various paradigms. It holds that certain periods of science cannot be fairly compared due to the evolution of knowledge in other fields of study that shed light on valuable information. This changed the game for determining what was "good" science. -
International Colloquium
In 1964, an international colloquium was held in London. Kuhn and Feyerabend were set to debate the idea of critical rationalism. Since Feyerabend was unable to attend, the replacement focused on Kuhn's work. Manuscripts containing information from the debate along with a revised version of Kuhn's book were released a few years later leading to a more widespread acceptance of his ideas and a general adoption of his approach to scientific progress. -
Citation
Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. The University of Chicago Press, 2015.
