Thomas Kuhn (Philosophy Now)

Thomas S. Kuhn (1922-1996) transformed the philosophy of science. His seminal 1962 work,The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, sold over one million copies and was translated into more than a dozen languages. It introduced the term paradigm shift into the vernacular and remains a fundamental text in the study of the history and philosophy of science. This introduction to Kuhns ideas situatesThe Structure of Scientific Revolutionswithin the development of his thought over time. Alexander Bird explains Kuhns central distinction between normal and revolutionary science and then examines in detail the role played by the key notion of a paradigm in his account of radical scientific change. The book considers Kuhns claim that the scientists world changes when paradigms change and relates this thought to his views on perception, incommensurability, and meaning. The author engages with the main criticisms of Kuhns philosophy. Examining Kuhns thought in relation to its historical context as well as other more recent philosophies of science, Alexander Bird argues that Kuhns thinking betrays a residual commitment to many theses characteristic of the empiricists he set out to challenge. His book concludes by looking at Kuhns influence on the history and philosophy of science and asks where the field may be heading in the wake of Kuhns ideas. Accessible to those with little formal philosophy training, this is an assured and engaging read for anyone interested in Kuhns pivotal ideas.

Author: Alexander Bird

Language: English

Binding: Paperback

Pages: 304

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Publication Date: 2001-04-01