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Summary: Human Paradigms and Scientific Truth
Review: A significant book of thought, on science that takes in the psychology of man, the history of scientific thought and the philosophy of human perception and its subsequent paradigms or `disciplinary matrix.' There is no doubt in my mind that this book goes way beyond the herd mentality so prevalent today. Here Kuhn ventures outside the box of paradigms and models of structure relating their creation being from the prior destruction of formal paradigm models as opposed to the inaccurate textbook presentations of so-called progress of scientific truths historically growing in accumulative knowledge to higher and more advanced theories, unlike the crises that occurs in the emergence of new theories and new meanings of the same words. While science must work from paradigms they also must be recognized with the ability to go outside the box. Application restrictions forbids the scientist to relay upon a theory in his own research whenever that research enters an area or seeks a degree of precision for which past practice offers no precedent.
Shifts in the scientific community's conception of legitimate problems even shift, as in the predecessors of Newton to Einstein's quantum mechanics reversal of the methodological prohibition that originated in the chemical revolution of Chemists.
The point being the individual scientist takes a paradigm for granted, the creative scientist is limited and to a large extent rigid, attached to his or her model., on object for replication, questions and answers must fit in with the preexisting model with the illusion of alternative models as non-existent.
Finding facts that agree or fit in with the preexisting paradigm. New science is working from predetermined models failing to create other models to build from. Building instruments based on rules, laws from existing paradigms that find facts to support such. When too many anomalies become apparent, there are always those that devise numerous articulations and ad hoc modifications in order to eliminate conflict, but when this does not suffice then a crisis occurs and this leads to a scientific revolution where a paradigm is destroyed and a new one created. All crisis begin with the blurring of a paradigm and the consequent loosening of the rules for normal research.
There is also the problem of finding an objective language, which itself is an impossibility, although Kuhn suggests that perhaps one day their may be such. (Ludwig Wittgenstein). Words also will change meanings and applications when applied to other theories, such as the discovery of oxygen, which was not `discovered,' but a long process of conceptual assimilation and a change in paradigm.
There is also the specializations and communities within the Scientific communities that perceive same problems under different views where meanings vary in vocabulary, questions and conclusions.
Revolutions required perceptional transformations, the goggles must be fitted with inverting lenses. Kuhn relates the analogy the `Gestalt Switch, ' where multiple perspectives can be seen from the same set of blueprints. The same image can be seen in different ways. And this reinterpretation in a gestalt switch is applied to the switching of scientific paradigms, an occurrence that usually takes place overnight in a sudden flash of perception change, as with all fields of paradigm switch.
In relation to all this, Kuhn brings out Newton's law of Principia, Maxwell's equations, Einstein's relativity of curved space, Franklin's Leyden Jar, Ptolemaic and Copernicus Newton's Principia, Dalton's atomic theory, all in relation to paradigms in the scientific community and their subsequent discarding and creating new models to question and perceive by with much more than the space of this review will permit.
An essential book to read, known as a landmark book and one of the hundred most influential books since the second world war by the Times Literary Supplement.
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Summary: An essentail read for theologians and scientists.
Review: I was prompted to read Kuhn out of my interest in understanding the relationship between theology and empirical science. Kuhn has been central in shaping my understanding of the the nature of science, and I believe all theologians should read this book.
Kuhn's astute defense of science as a function of paradigms is a vital insight for theologians who have spent far to much wrongheaded energy trying to "reconcile" scientific beleif with theological belief. Once it is understood that theology and science embody two different paradigms that are sustained by a community of practitioners bound by a common faith, the issue of "reconciling" theology and science becomes moot and far more interesting discussions can take place.
I believe that if theologians read Kuhn's work more often, the current crisis of how theology can make itself compatible with modern science would simply disapear. Kuhn has given theologians the wonderful gift of dethroning the false conception of science as a value-free, objective disipline agaisnt which all others must be measured. Hurray for Kuhn!
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Summary: Brilliant model of the evolution of science
Review: Thomas Kuhn presents his somewhat controversial model of scientific evolution, through revolution, in this masterwork. Through refinement and tweaking (this is the 3rd edition), Kuhn finally realized his theory and saw it spark one of the most deliberate scientific debates in history. Definitely not for the layperson unlearned in methods of scientific inquiry and endeavors, this book has been and will continue to be a huge success and reference piece for members of the academic elite and world of modern science.
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Summary: Philosophic common sense applied to Science Evolution of Tho
Review: The complete title of this review is "Philosophic common sense applied to Science Evolution of Thought". Basically the central thesis of Kuhn was that science evolves through paradigm shifts, and of course he conceives science as a compound of theories and laws based on the most agreeable paradigms of the epoch. I found this book refreshing and interesting from at least two perspectives, filosofically and historically. Also this book is read as a compendium of consecutive works that altogether make a coherent thesis, so it's easy reading it. Finally, Kuhn's style is very friendly and personal, so you really feel he is urging you to follow him in all his arguments. Reading this book was a great experience for me, and I highly recommend it.
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Summary: How and Why Organizations/Communities Resist Change
Review: This relatively easy read while, focusing on the history of changes in scientific paradigms, really is applicable to a much wider audience. It is a recommended "must read" for anyone in the organizational facilitation or organizational development field who needs to understand how difficult it is for organizations to embrace change.
Kuhn well explains how community paradigms are formed and perpetuated, and just how difficult it is for people to accept changes to their paradigm, and why organiations facing necessary changes to their paradigm are prone to label the changes as "anomalies" so they can be discounted and avoided.
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Summary: This book makes you think, and that's good
Review: Unfortunately, the author, undoubtedly influenced by philosopher Immanuel Kant, tries to use reason against itself in a most disgraceful fashion. There is an element of truth in his theory- times of identifying, testing, and accepting new theories are times of upheaval and quite confusing for many. Unfortunately, Kuhn fails to recognize that there exists an objective reality that does not bend or shift to agree to whatever mankind's consensus opinion is at the time. The world was not flat when many supposed it was. The sun did not revolve around the earth when many supposed it did.Fundamentally, Kuhn fails to accept the difference between the scientifically proven and the scientifically likely. Nothing that was scientifically proven has ever been disproved. Often what happens is the context in which a theory is known true is found to be limited. For example, Newtonian laws of motion are as true to today as they were in Newton's times. The difference is that today, we know that at speeds or levels of precision unknown in Newton's times, relativity adds an effect to alter the equation. Newton's laws of motion were never proven in that context. Only an assumption that they applied there was disproved. Ultimately, Kuhn adds more confusion than clarity with this work, as is the case with any attack on reason. For a much better analysis of truth and epistemology, I'd highly recommend Ayn Rand's "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology".
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