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Thomas Samuel Kuhn was born on July 18th, 1922 out of Cincinnati, Ohio. His family was well off and decently sized. His family comprised of his mother and father, they referred to him as Tom. Tom also had a younger brother by the name of Roger who was 3 years younger than him. His father was an industrial engineer and investment consultant. A graduate of Harvard and MIT, and also being a war veteran of World War I. His mother had a strong educational background graduating from Vassar College. -
Tom's early childhood consisted of teaching at a private progressive school in Manhattan. He attended there from kindergarten through 5th grade. He struggled with reading and writing, but with the help of his father was able to master those skills. His father was unhappy with the teaching of the institution. Thankfully with family support Thomas did not fall behind academically. -
After his struggles at his first school his father decided to move his family north. Placing Thomas in another progressive school called Hessian Hills. He attended here for grades 6 though 9. This is where Tom's interest in math began. Due to some of the teaching at this school that his father did not agree. Thomas was was again pulled out of another school in 1937. -
For 10th grade Tom went to Solebury School. A private boarding school in Solebury Township, Pennsylvania. Following, he enrolled at Taft School in Waterfront, Connecticut. His family placed a lot of emphasis on education and development. Thanks to this belief Thomas was in fact a straight A student. After attending all these school he was accepted into Harvard University. Which was his fathers alma mater. With his fathers advise Thomas would aim his focus toward Physics.
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During his undergraduate years at Harvard, Thomas struggled with Physics, but soon found his way and made progress. He sped up his degree by attending summer classes. Graduating with his Bachelor's degree in Physics in 1943. After his graduation he joined the Radio Research Lab's theoretical group. Then traveled to the United Kingdom. His group was tasked during World War II to devise counter measures against enemy radar. -
In 1946 after his work in the war effort Thomas returned to Harvard to continue his learning. Starting with physics and ending with physics. Thomas Kuhn achieved his Master's Degree in Physics in 1946. -
Thomas got married to a woman by the name of Kathryn Muhs. Much like his own mother she was an educated woman. In fact, she also graduated from Vassar College. She assisted him with his thesis. Later on they went on to have a family. Consisting of 2 daughter and 1 son. -
During his 3 years working on his doctorate Thomas did his Thesis on The Cohesive Energy of Monovalent Metals as a Function of the Atomic Quantum Defects. During this time Thomas' interest in physics was not the same as when he started. He found it was practical to continue to make it easier to get his doctorate. -
1948 starts his journey down the path leading him to his impact on the scientific community. Joining the Society of Fellows at Harvard. Beginning his pursuit of knowledge to understand the mechanisms of the scientific process. Toward the end of his fellowship he beame a professor for the History of Science. His passion grew greater in understanding the development of the scientific process. -
Since Harvard had yet to offer Kuhn tenure, he decided to take his talents to the University of California at Berkley. He assumed the role as an assistant professor. His teaching branched in the history and philosophy department. -
In 1957 Thomas published his first book where he inspected Nicolaus Copernicus's famous book, "De Revolutionibus". Kuhn believed the model presented was preferred because it was more pleasing to the audience. This is where we start to see the development into his ideas of "The Paradigm Shift" that he soon introduces. -
This year Thomas was promoted at Berkley and given tenure. Toward the end of this year Thomas sought out fellowship at Stanford University's Center for Advanced Study. It was there that he would begin the his most important work. Beginning to really dive into the Paradigm Shift with his work titled "The Structure of Scientific Revolution". -
This is where, in my opinion, Kuhn's greatest impact came from. When he described the Paradigm Shift in his book titled "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" He studied different scientific frameworks for years. Starting with his his first book critiquing Nicolaus Copernicus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn8cCDtVd5w -
During this time Kuhn took his knowledge and teachings to Princeton University as the Professor of History and Science. -
Not much is said about what caused To to divorce his first wife. But it was on this year that they got divorced. -
Kuhn did still seek to find his person. Later remarrying only 3 years after his divorce. Her name was Jehane Barton Burns -
Thomas Kuhn died of cancer in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The cancer had been causing him trouble for 2 years. Specifically lung and throat cancer. He died at the ripe old age of 73.