Research on Thomas Kuhn
|COLEGIO DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN, CALAMBA
|Thomas Kuhn and the Structure of Scientific Revolution
|Mona Liza Canillo |
|7/13/2013 |
| |
I. INTRODUCTION
To better comprehend what Kuhn 's theories are about, there is a need to know where he is coming from--where his foundations are rooted on. This can perhaps be given light by knowing a part of his history and works. Kuhn 's background is in the field of "natural" sciences. He started as a physicist by mastering it in his bachelors until his doctorate studies. He never had any formal education regarding the humanities until taught History of Science for undergraduates in the said degree. This inspired Kuhn to study historical scientific texts. His formation then started when he read the scientific works of Aristotle. Thereafter he shifted from being a natural scientist to a "historian" of science.
Kuhn always referred to Aristotle in explaining his approach to the history and philosophy of science. He asks the simple question, "How could Aristotle, one of the world 's greatest philosophers, be so wrong about so much physics?” He then explains that Aristotle is not really "wrong". It just so happens that the exposure of Aristotle is different from what is presently known. In other words, Aristotle 's theories and principles may be deemed as false in the present time but there came a point in history when his theories were
|Thomas Kuhn and the Structure of Scientific Revolution
|Mona Liza Canillo |
|7/13/2013 |
| |
I. INTRODUCTION
To better comprehend what Kuhn 's theories are about, there is a need to know where he is coming from--where his foundations are rooted on. This can perhaps be given light by knowing a part of his history and works. Kuhn 's background is in the field of "natural" sciences. He started as a physicist by mastering it in his bachelors until his doctorate studies. He never had any formal education regarding the humanities until taught History of Science for undergraduates in the said degree. This inspired Kuhn to study historical scientific texts. His formation then started when he read the scientific works of Aristotle. Thereafter he shifted from being a natural scientist to a "historian" of science.
Kuhn always referred to Aristotle in explaining his approach to the history and philosophy of science. He asks the simple question, "How could Aristotle, one of the world 's greatest philosophers, be so wrong about so much physics?” He then explains that Aristotle is not really "wrong". It just so happens that the exposure of Aristotle is different from what is presently known. In other words, Aristotle 's theories and principles may be deemed as false in the present time but there came a point in history when his theories were
References: Weinberg, S. (1998). Steven Weinberg on scientific revolution. New York Review of Books, Vol XLV, Number 15 Cormac. (2011, February 1). Was Kuhn more wrong than right? [Web log comment]. Bird, A. (2012, November 15). The structure of scientific revolutions and its significance: An essay review of the fiftieth anniversary edition of Science, 1464-3537, doi: 10.1093/bjps/axs031 Bird, A Moges, A. (2010). Thomas Kuhn: assassin of logical positivism or its double agent? The Heretic in Philosophy of Science Retrieved on July 05, 2013 from http://philosophy.wisc.edu/forster/220/kuhn.htm.