This groundbreaking book by Thomas S. Kuhn revolutionizes our understanding of science, arguing that it does not progress via a linear accumulation of new knowledge, but undergoes periodic revolutions or “paradigm shifts”. Kuhn challenges the widely accepted view of science as a steady, cumulative acquisition of knowledge, instead proposing that it is a series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions. In these revolutions, one conceptual world view is replaced by another. The book also introduces the term ‘paradigm’, suggesting that it is not simply the current theory that defines a scientific discipline, but also the complex interplay of theoretical commitments, values and experiences shared by the community of scientists. Kuhn’s work has been influential in philosophy, history of science and within the social sciences. His ideas have sparked widespread debate and controversy, fundamentally changing our understanding of scientific progress and challenging our perceptions about how science works.
The Structure Of Scientific Revolutions
This book examines the history of science to show how scientific ideas are not simply discovered, but rather emerge through a process of revolutionary change. It argues that scientific progress is not linear, but rather occurs in abrupt shifts as one paradigm is replaced by another. Kuhn's work has had a profound influence on the philosophy and history of science.
