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Thomas S. Kuhn's Birth
Thomas Samuel Kuhn was born July 18, 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio to his father and mother, Sameul and Minette Kuhn. His father was a WWI veteran that attended Harvard and MIT and became an industrial engineer. His mother graduated from Vassar College and was the heir of a wealthy New York family. When Thomas was only a few months old they moved to New York. 12 June 2017. Famous Scientists – The Art of Genius. "Thomas Kuhn", https://www.famousscientists.org/thomas-kuhn/ -
Graduated from Harvard as Summa Cum Laude
Kuhn received his master’s degree in physics in 1946, and his doctorate in 1949. Kuhn was then elected to the prestigious Society of Fellows at Harvard. He taught humanities until 1956 when he concentrated in history of science and was appointed as an assist. professorship in general education and history of science. Obtained 8 Dec 2019. Editors of Encyclopedia and Historian, Britannica, “Thomas S. Kuhn – American Philosopher and Historian”, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-S-Kuhn -
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Teaching and writing
Thomas S. Kuhn spent the bulk of his career teaching, researching, and writing about the history of philosophy of science at Harvard from 1951 to 1956, the University of California at Berkeley from 1956 – 1964, Princeton University from 1964 – 1979, and MIT from 1979 – 1991. Obtained 8 Dec 2019. Editors of Encyclopedia and Historian, Britannica, “Thomas S. Kuhn – American Philosopher and Historian”, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-S-Kuhn -
University of California at Berkeley
In 1956, Kuhn accepted an offer at the University of California at Berkeley where he became an assist. professor in both Philosophy and History.
In 1958, he was promoted to associate professor and given tenure. He also began a one-year fellowship at Stanford University’s Center for Advanced Study and started his work on "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions".
In 1961, he reluctantly accepted a promotion to full professor of the History of Science as he wanted to be a professor of Philosophy. -
The Copernican Revolution
In 1957 Thomas Kuhn’s first book “The Copernican Revolution” is published. This book discussed the paradigm shift from Ptolemaic model that described the cosmos having earth stationary at the center of the universe to the heliocentric model in which the sun is the center of the solar system. Kuhn, T. 1957. Biblio, “Structure of Scientific Revolutions” https://www.biblio.com/structure-of-scientific-by-kuhn-thomas-s/work/63151 -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Thomas S. Kuhn's book "The Structure of Scientific Revolution" was published. This book is what Kuhn is most known for as it was about the history of science and was considered a landmark event in history as it changed the way historians and philosophers of science viewed political science, economics, sociology, and business management. Kuhn, T. 1957. Biblio, “Structure of Scientific Revolutions” https://www.biblio.com/structure-of-scientific-by-kuhn-thomas-s/work/63151 -
M. Taylor Pyne Professor of Philosophy and History of Science at Princeton University.
In 1964 Kuhn left Berkeley to take a postion at Princeton University where he remained until 1979. During this time he attended a conference which illuminated the significance of his approach. A collection of Kuhn’s essays in philosophy and history of science was published in 1977. Obtained 8 Dec 2019. Editors of Encyclopedia and Historian, Britannica, “Thomas S. Kuhn – American Philosopher and Historian”, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-S-Kuhn -
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Thomas S. Kuhn joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1979 as the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy, remaining there until 1991. Thomas S. Kuhn served as the president of the History of Science Society from 1969–70. In 1979 he joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy, remaining there until 1991. -
Kuhn's death
Kuhn worked on a variety of topics in both history and philosophy of science. Prior to his death on 17 June 1996, he was working on a second philosophical monograph. This was focused on an evolutionary conception of scientific changes and concept acquisition in developmental psychology. Obtained 8 Dec 2019. Editors of Encyclopedia and Historian, Britannica, “Thomas S. Kuhn – American Philosopher and Historian”, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-S-Kuhn -
Documentary on Thomas Kuhn - The Man Who Changed Science Forever
Documentary on Thomas Kuhn discussing his life achievements. Made by:
-Zak GM 4 Feb 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSfNavzM8aY
