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Birth
Thomas Kuhn is born in Cincinnati, Ohio. -
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Harvard Education
Thomas Kuhn began his educational career at Harvard in 1940 where he studied physics. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in Physics in 1943, a Masters degree in 1946, and finally a Ph.D. in 1949. The opportunities that were presented to him as a student, especially during the wartime effort, greatly aided in his future successes. It is said that Kuhn began compiling his first two publications while pursuing his Ph.D., linking much of the influence for his theories to this time period. -
"The Copernican Revolution"
After obtaining degrees in physics, Thomas Kuhn turned his career focus to the history and philosophy of science. In "The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought" he focused on the history of astronomy. Kuhn analyzed the Copernican Revolution creating the foundation for his Scientific Revolution theories.
Kuhn, Thomas S. The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1957. -
"The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"
In 1962, Thomas Kuhn published one of his most influential works, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions". The book is regarded as one of the most influential books of modern scientific philosophy. In it, he presents his ideas on scientific thoughts and processes being centered around paradigms. The book also introduces concepts of normal science, paradigm shifts, and incommensurability. Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970. -
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Professor at MIT
Thomas Kuhn served an impressive career at Harvard, Berkeley, and Princeton. In finalizing these achievements, he spent more than a decade as a Professor of Philosophy and History at MIT, from 1979, to his retirement in 1991. By then, Kuhn's influence on the philosophy of science had earned him a renowned position in many scientific and academic settings. His work continues to serve a significant role in the scientific understanding of progress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euE7PP_RUfk -
Death
Thomas Kuhn dies in Cambridge, Massachusetts.