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Early Life
Kuhn was born in Cincinnati in 1922 to Sam and Minette Kuhn. His father was a veteran of the Army Corps of Engineers where he served in World War I. His childhood seemed typical, aside from the fact that his family held prestigious education. His father and uncle were educated at Harvard. His father also attended MIT and made his career as a hydraulic engineer. His family moved close to Manhattan in his sixth grade where he would spend time at schools he described as radically left oriented. -
Early Education
Kuhn described attendance at a preparatory school for his sophomore year named Solebury in Pennsylvania as uninspired. Following this he attended the Yale preparatory Taft School in Connecticut. Here he graduated third in a class of 105 and earned his place in the National Honor Society among other recognition. In the fall of 1940 he began his journey at Harvard. Struggling between the choice to study physics or mathematics he found his calling in physics and earned his doctorate 1949. -
The Copernican Revolution
In the summer of 1947 Kuhn realized that maybe he wanted to be a philosopher. Finding himself struggling to understand Aristotle's views on motion he began his quest. Realizing he needed to read Aristotle's point of view on physics based on what the Greek philosopher knew then, he made the connection. Later he studied 18th century matter theory and the early understanding of thermodynamics. HIs efforts then directed at the history of astronomy and in 1957 he released The Copernican Revolution. -
Kuhn's Legacy
Kuhn created a lasting impression on the history of science and philosophy of science. Known for Structure of Scientific Revolutions Kuhn argued that science does not progress in a neat line after we accumulate information, it progresses through a series of revolutions called paradigm shifts. He separated science into the general stages of pre-science, normal science and paradigm. Kuhn's work would be largely criticized by other philosophers but would fall silent as his work was understood.
