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Thomas Kuhn
An American scientist, historian, and philosopher who's seminal 1962 work "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" had a profound impact on audiences large and small. The scientific revolution, the character of scientific advancement, and the history of science are the primary foci of Kuhn's writings. -
Graduated from Harvard
Earned a bachelor's degree in physics. The foundation he laid in physics was crucial to his development as a philosopher of science. His views about the change and evolution of scientific paradigms are based on his knowledge of scientific principles and methods. -
Further Education
Thomas Kuhn continued his studies at Harvard and received his PhD in physics in 1949. -
"The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought."
Thomas Kuhn published his first major work, "The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought." In this book, Kuhn examined the change from the Ptolemaic system to the Copernican system in the 16th century, which he used as a case study for how scientific paradigms shift over time. -
Thomas Kuhn published his seminal work, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions."
This book introduced the concept of "paradigm shifts," a term that has since become widely used not just in the philosophy of science, but in many other fields as well. Kuhn argued that scientific progress is not linear, but rather occurs through a series of paradigm shifts, where existing paradigm is replaced by a new one. This work had a profound impact on the philosophy of science and is indeed considered his most influential work.
Timetoast -
Princeton Institute for Advanced Study
Thomas Kuhn left his position at the University of California, Berkeley, to join the prestigious Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. There, he continued his work in the philosophy of science, further developing his ideas about scientific paradigms and revolutions. -
Kuhn published "The Essential Tension: Selected Studies in Scientific Tradition and Change"
"The Essential Tension: Selected Studies in Scientific Tradition and Change." This book is a collection of his essays that further explore the concepts he introduced in "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." The title refers to the tension between tradition and innovation in scientific research, which Kuhn saw as a driving force in scientific progress. -
Thomas Kuhn passed away
On June 17, 1996, Thomas Kuhn went away. Even after he passed away, his profound views on paradigm changes and the character of scientific progress are still heavily debated and studied in the field of philosophy of science.