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Birth
Thomas Kuhn was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firstborn of two children to Samuel L. Kuhn and Minette Kuhn. -
Early childhood education
Kuhn began school at the Lincoln School in Manhattan. The school was progressive in its teachings. This allowed for Kuhn the ability to grow in his thinking. -
Harvard College
Kuhn started Harvard College after spending the last two years of high school at the Yale-Preparatory Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut. Kuhn navigated his way through many paths of study during his time at Harvard. He started with Philosophy, studying individuals from Plato to Kant. He then migrated to physics due to career opportunities. -
Harvard Graduate
Kuhn graduated summa cum laude in the spring. After graduation, he worked for a research laboratory. His research consisted of radar counter technology. It was during this period that Kuhn realized that he did not enjoy radar work and wanted to get back into physics. It was also during this time frame that Kuhn was able to have freedom through literary choices and read the philosophy of science through works from Bertrand Russell, P.W. Bridgman, Carnap, and Frank. -
Graduate Program
Kuhn returned to Harvard and began his physics studies. -
Masters Degree
Kuhn graduated from Harvard with a graduate degree in Physics -
Transformation
Had doubts throughout graduate school. Invited to aid in course development which transformed his ideas of science. In late summer, Kuhn studied Aristotle's idea of motion. During this time Kuhn attempted to study it through the lens of Newton but could not make sense of it. He then read Aristotle's Physics and it made sense. This was the catalyst for Kuhn's realization that he wanted to be a philosopher of science. -
Doctorate in Physics
Kuhn received his Ph.D. in theoretical solid-state physics. -
Copernican Revolution
Kuhn developed conceptual schemes through the Copernican Revolution. These concepts regarding scientific predictions were, that there is no final proof for them, derived from other schemes, and that they must perform logical and psychological functions in existential terms. -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Kuhn published the structure of scientific revolutions which challenged scientific progress in that revolutions in science can lead to new paradigms. He argued that scientific practice alternates between periods of normal science and revolutionary science. -
Educational Video
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Death
Kuhn dies