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Birth
Thomas Samuel Kuhn was born on July 18th, 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio to his mother Minette Stroock Kuhn, and father Samuel Kuhn, who was a hydraulic engineer. An only child at the time, he and his family moved to New York. Where they finally settled in a country town by the Hudson River. Nickles, Thomas, editor. Thomas Kuhn. Cambridge University Press, 2003. -
Harvard College
Thomas Kuhn was admitted to Harvard College where he would begin his studies in physics. Soon after his passion for the history of science motioned him to switch to the philosophy of science, while retaining an interest in the history of physics. Kuhn was able to squeeze his undergraduate years into three, in order to graduate early to join in on the war efforts for World War II. Nickles, Thomas, editor. Thomas Kuhn. Cambridge University Press, 2003. -
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WWII Efforts & Further Education
In 1943, Kuhn graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Physics. In his promise, he was able to help the war efforts by providing research to radar at Harvard and then in Europe. After the war ended, was able to return to Harvard to continue his education for his master's in physics and then later his doctorate. Bird, Alexander. “Thomas Kuhn.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 31 Oct. 2018, plato.stanford.edu/entries/thomas-kuhn/#LifeCare. Accessed 10 Sept. 2023. -
The Copernican Revolution
Kuhn had an opportunity to teach undergraduates at Harvard, where the concentration was in historical case studies. During this time, he had his first opportunity to study the works of Aristotle and his scientific work. Being able to look at the different scientific processes and thoughts that Aristotle made was fascinating to him. This led Kuhn to want to know more about the history of theory and thermodynamics which soon later resulted in the publication of The Copernican Revolution in 1957. -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Throughout his years of teaching, Kuhn shifted to “teach the history of science and intellectual history from a scientific point of view.” (Nickles, 11) With the help of his colleagues, Stanley Cavell, and Paul Feyerabend; Kuhn started the creation of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. The book would be centered on the development of science and how it is driven in cohesion with Kuhn’s ideas of paradigm.
Nickles, Thomas, editor. Thomas Kuhn. Cambridge University Press, 2003. -
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Death
In the year of 1994, Thomas Kuhn was diagnosed with lung cancer which he later died from in 1996.
