Thomas Kuhn: Kuhnian Approach and Normal Science and Crisis Stage
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Kuhnian Approach
- Challenged common assumptions about how science changes
- Proposed his theory of how changes in science take place
- Rejected the cumulative view
- He argued, science is dominated by a scientific paradigm at any given time
- What is a paradigm?
- Fundamental image of the subject matter of science
- What, how and why?
Normal Science and Crisis Stage
Normal Science
- Period of accumulation of knowledge
- Scientists expand existing knowledge
- Anomalies
- Findings that cannot be explained by reigning paradigm
Crisis Stage
- Anomalies mount
- May end in a scientific revolution
- Reigning paradigm is replaced with new one
- Birth of a new paradigm
- Cycle repeats
- Periods of revolutions bring about great changes.
- The Structure of Scientific Revolution, 1962
Purpose of Paradigm?
- Differentiate one scientific community from another e. g. , physics and chemistry
- Differentiate between historical stages in development of science
- Differentiate between same science on basis of cognitive groups e. g. , In case of multiple paradigms
MCQ
Q.1. Theories are part of larger ________
1. Images
2. Paradigms
3. Instruments
4. Consensus
Answer: 2. Paradigms
Q.2. Kuhn argued that changes in sciences occur ________
1. In a cumulative manner
2. As a result of revolutions
3. Advances build upon the preceding one
4. None of these
Answer: 2. As a result of revolutions
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✍ Manishika