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Graduated Harvard summa cum laude
Thomas Kuhn attended Harvard College, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in physics in 1943 with summa cum laude honors. Kuhn earned his Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in physics in 1946 and his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in physics in 1949. All studies were pursued at Harvard under the guidance of John Van Vleck.
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Began teaching at Berkeley
Kuhn took on the position of full-time professor at the University of California at Berkeley in the philosophy department. At Berkeley, he focused on the history of science and developed an interest in the philosophy of science. Kuhn’s colleagues included Stanley Cavell and Paul Feyerabend, both of whom are other influential philosophers of the time period. The thought-provoking environment at Berkeley inspired Kuhn to develop his theories of paradigms and incommensurability. -
Published "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"
In 1962, Thomas Kuhn published his most notable book: “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.” This book challenged the accepted beliefs about the progress of science at the time. Kuhn defined the concept of normal science, which occurs during periods of consistent scientific research and development. He contrasted normal science with revolutionary science, which is characterized by anomalies that instigate paradigm shifts among the scientific community. -
Joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Kuhn’s last professor position was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he served as the first chair of the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professorship in Philosophy. While at MIT, Kuhn’s work focused on the cognitive and linguistic processes that impact the philosophy of science. In 1991, Kuhn retired and was designated professor emeritus.