The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas S. Kuhn (Trans. Nilüfer Kuyaş)

Abstract

Book and Author:
Kuhn, T. S. (2021). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Trans. Nilüfer Kuyaş). Kırmızı Yayınları: Istanbul. ISBN: 9786057477804. (Original publication date: 1962). (Original title: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions).

Thomas S. Kuhn (1922–1996):
Born into a Jewish family in Cincinnati, Kuhn studied physics at Harvard University, while also developing an interest in philosophy and literature. During World War II, he served as a radar technician in England and France. After the war, he returned to Harvard and completed his master’s degree and, in 1949, his doctorate under the supervision of John H. van Vleck. At the request of Harvard President James B. Conant, he began teaching the history of science, which diverted him from a career in physics and directed him toward the history and philosophy of science. Upon Conant’s recommendation, Kuhn joined the Society of Fellows at Harvard. In 1956, he became a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley, where he wrote his most significant work, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. While writing this book, Kuhn was influenced by Ludwik Fleck’s work Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact. From 1964 to 1979, he taught at Princeton University and later at MIT until his retirement in 1991. Kuhn was also one of the founders of the International Academy of Science, which presents the "Thomas Kuhn Award" in his honor.

Main Purpose of the Book:
The primary aim of the work is to challenge the classical view that scientific knowledge progresses in a linear and cumulative manner, and instead to propose a model in which science advances through revolutionary transformations based on paradigm shifts. Through this model, Kuhn seeks to provide a comprehensive explanation of the historical, sociological, and epistemological dimensions of scientific activity.