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Thomas Samuel Kuhn Birth
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father, Samuel Louis Kuhn was an industrial engineer and investment consultant. He fought in WW1 and a Harvard and MIT alumni. His Mother, Minette Kuhn, was a graduate of Vassar college and was from a wealthy family. She worked as a freelance editor and wrote unpaid articles for progressive organizations. -
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Thomas Khun Lifespan
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Bachelor's degree
Studied physics in at Harvard University and earned his undergraduate degree as a summa cum laude -
Master's Degree
After earning his undergraduate degree (and the remainder of the war years), he was doing radar related researches in Harvard and then in Europe. Three years after, he earned his Master's Degree in Physics three years after earning his undergraduate degree -
Married Kathryn Muhs
Thomas Kuhn became isolated while studying for his PhD. He isolated himself from other people. This worried his mother and had Kuhn undergo psychoanalysis. He would fall asleep during sessions. The sessions ended when the psychiatrist left town and Kuhn got married. Thomas Kuhn married Kathryn Muhs, who's a Vassar College alumni. Kathryn Muhs aided her husband's career by typing his PhD thesis.They had two daughter's and a son namely; Sarah, Elizabeth and Nathaniel. The couple divorced in 1978 -
Doctor of Philosophy in Physics
Kuhn focused his studies on the application of quantum mechanics to solid state physics. Three years after earning his Masters degree in Physics, he earned his PhD in Physics at Harvard University under Nobel Prize winner John Van Vleck. -
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Harvard Faculty Member
Thomas Kuhn taught History of Science at Harvard University. -
Society of Fellows
Kuhn was elected to the prestigious Society of Fellows at Harvard. As a faculty member he taught a class in science for the undergraduates in the humanities. The class he was teaching was developed by James Conant (President of Harvard), which centered on historical case studies. This was Kuhn's first opportunity to study historical scientific texts in detail. -
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University of California at Berkley Faculty member
After teaching in Harvard University, he taught the History of Science and Philosophy of Science in the University of California at Berkley during this time period -
Published his first book
Kuhn focussed his work on the early history of thermodynamics and 18th century matter theory. After this, he focused on the history of astronomy, these resulted in him publishing his first book. The Copernican Revolution, was published which focuses on the heliocentric theory development during the Renaissance Period. -
Full Professor University of California at Berkley
Kuhn took a post in History of Science but in the philosophy department. During this time he developed an interest in the philosophy of Science -
Published his Second Book
During his time in University of California Kuhn met Stanley Cavell, who introduced him to Wittgenstein and Paul Feyerbend's works. Kuhn discussed a draft of the Structure of Scientific Revolutions with Feyerbend. In 1962 The Structure of Scientific Revolutions was published in the series of "International Encyclopedia of Unified Science", edited by Otto Neurath and Rudolf Carnap. In this book Kuhn argued that scientific research and thoughts are defined by conceptual world views or "paradigms". -
Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Video clip)
A clip of Thomas Kuhn talking about his famous book 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV-vh9y_TQs -
Professor of Philosophy and History of Science
Kuhn took M. Taylor Pyne's position in Princeton University as the Professor of Philosophy and History of Science. -
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Princeton University Faculty Member
After teaching in University of California at Berkley, he taught the History of Science and Philosophy of Science in the University of California at Berkley during this time period. -
Debate with Feyerabend
Bedford College in London hosted The International Colloquium in the Philosophy of Science. One of the key events was intended for a debate between Kuhn and Feyerabend, chaired by Popper. In this debate, Feyerabend was absent due to illness and had John Watkins take his place. Feyerabend was promoting critical rationalism (which he shared with Popper), while Kuhn promoted his paradigms. Kuhn felt the critics failed to appreciate the paradigms as a model for puzzle solving. -
Popper and Kuhn on Theory change (Video)
Professor of Philosophy of Science, the London School of Economics and Political Science, John Worrall on the scientific revolutions, falsifiability and what are the main features of a scientific hypothesis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM8XBhEuyoo -
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President of History of Science Society
The History of Science Society is dedicated in understanding science, technology, medicine and its interactions with society in a historical context. -
The Essential Tension
Kuhn published another book entitled "The Essential Tension", which was a collection of his essays in philosophy and history of science. This book emphasizes the importance of tradition in science. -
Awarded Howard T. Behrman Award
For distinguished achievement in humanities, Kuhn was awarded the Howard T. Behrman Award. This award is given annually to selected faculty members from Princeton's humanities department. This is to recognize the awardee's recognition of research, publication, teaching and other distinguished services to Princeton's community. -
Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity
Kuhn published his second historical monograph entitled, "Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity". This book focused on the early history of quantum mechanics. -
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Faculty Member
After teaching in Princeton University, he taught the History of Science and Philosophy of Science in the University of California at Berkley during this time period -
Married Jehane Barton Burns
At age 59, Kuhn married Jehane Barton Burns. -
Awarded George Sarton Medal in the History of Science
After bring a president of the History of Science Society from 1968 to 1970, the society awarded him the highest honor, the George Sarton Medal in the History of Science. This award is given to outstanding historians of science selected from the international scholarly community. This medal honors Thomas Kuhn for lifetime scholarly achievement. -
Lawrence S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy
Kuhn was named Laurence S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy at MIT. He continued his work on both history and philosophy of science on topics such as the development of the concept of incommensurability. -
Awarded the John Desmond Bernal Prize
For his distinguished contributions to the Field of Science and Technology Studies and his studies on the structures of scientific revolutions, Thomas Kuhn was awarded the John Desmond Bernal Prize. -
Retired in MIT
Thomas Kuhn was the chair's first holder of the Laurence S. Rockefeller Professorship in Philosophy/ He took the rank of professor emeritus and retired in MIT. From 1982 to 1991 Kuhn held the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professorship in Philosophy. He was the chair's first holder. Kuhn retired in 1991 and took the rank of professor emeritus. -
Death
At the age of 73 Thomas Kuhn Died at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He died from throat and lung cancer which he has been battling for two years. He is survived by his wife, Jehane and three children, Sarah Kuhn of Framingham, Massachusetts., Elizabeth Kuhn of Los Angeles and Nathaniel Kuhn of Arlington, Massachusetts. -
Sources 1
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Thomas S. Kuhn. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-S-Kuhn Bird, A. (2018, October 31). Thomas Kuhn. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thomas-kuhn/ American Institute of Physics. (2016, July 18). Thomas Kuhn. Physics Today. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/pt.5.031266/full/ -
Sources 2
Famous Scientists. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.famousscientists.org/thomas-kuhn/ Gelder, L. V. (1996, June 19). Thomas Kuhn, 73; devised Science Paradigm. The New York Times. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/19/us/thomas-kuhn-73-devised-science-paradigm.html History of Science Society (Ed.). (n.d.). Sarton Medalists. HSS sarton medalists. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from http://depts.washington.edu/hssexec/about/awards/sarton.html -
Sources 3
Princeton University (Ed.). (n.d.). Howard T. Behrman Award for distinguished achievement in the humanities | dean of the faculty. Princeton University. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://dof.princeton.edu/howard-t-behrman-award-distinguished-achievement-humanities Thomas Kuhn. Internet encyclopedia of philosophy. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://iep.utm.edu/kuhn-ts/ -
Sources 4
Philosophy Overdose. (2021). Thomas Kuhn Speaking (1995). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV-vh9y_TQs. Serious Science. (2020). Popper and Kuhn on Theory change. Popper and Kuhn on Theory change — John Worrall / Serious Science. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM8XBhEuyoo.