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Short bio of Thomas Kuhn
Thomas Kuhn was born on July 18 of 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio and died on June 17, 1996 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Thomas Kuhn was an American philosopher of science who introduced the term "paradigm shift". Reference:
Thomas Kuhn, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kuhn -
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Thomas's education.
Kuhn graduated from The Taft School in Watertown, CT, in 1940, where he became aware of his serious interest in mathematics and physics.
He obtained his BS degree in physics from Harvard University in 1943, where he also obtained MS and PhD degrees in physics in 1946 and 1949, respectively, under the supervision of John Van Vleck. Reference:
Thomas Kuhn, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kuhn -
Thomas's book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (2)
Thomas explains that there are 4 phases in a paradigm shift:
1) Pre-paradigmatic phase
2) Normal science
3) Crisis
4) Scienific revolution Reference:
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Chapter 2.1: Thomas Kuhn, normal science, YouTube, by Leiden University - Faculty of Humanities, Published on Sep 27, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGZEZ96ynI -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Pre-Paradigmatic Phase)
In this phase is where scientists establish their ideas and theories. you could say that this phase is a pseudo-science until it transitions into normal science. Reference:
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Chapter 2.1: Thomas Kuhn, normal science, YouTube, by Leiden University - Faculty of Humanities, Published on Sep 27, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGZEZ96ynI -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Normal Science)
Normal science is where scientist use an empirical method to prove their ideas. Here they will encounter Anomalies and if they encounter to many then we go into the next phase, Crisis. Reference:
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Chapter 2.1: Thomas Kuhn, normal science, YouTube, by Leiden University - Faculty of Humanities, Published on Sep 27, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGZEZ96ynI -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Crisis)
When a crisis occurs, scientists are discouraged in their paradigm. Once all anomalies are solved, we go into a scientific revolution which is the last phase. Reference:
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Chapter 2.2: Thomas Kuhn, scientific revolutions, YouTube, by Leiden University - Faculty of Humanities, Published on Oct 19, 2017 -
Thomas's book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1)
Thomas Kuhn wrote the famous book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions where he introduces the term Paradigm Shift.
He explains what a paradigm shift is and how it works. Reference:
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Chapter 2.1: Thomas Kuhn, normal science, YouTube, by Leiden University - Faculty of Humanities, Published on Sep 27, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGZEZ96ynI -
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Scientific Revolution)
A scientific revolution is when scientists come up with a new paradigm within their original paradigm and have a scientific breakthrough. Confidence in their work is now restored. Reference:
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Chapter 2.2: Thomas Kuhn, scientific revolutions, YouTube, by Leiden University - Faculty of Humanities, Published on Oct 19, 2017