Thomas kuhn

Thomas Samuel Kuhn (1922-1996)

  • Kuhn earns his BS degree from Harvard University in Physics

    Kuhn earns his BS degree from Harvard University in Physics
    Thomas Kuhn was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 18, 1922. He graduated from the Taft school in CT in 1940, where he gained interests in Math and Physics. He went on to study physics at Harvard University.
  • Kuhn earns his MS degree in Physics

    Kuhn earns his MS degree in Physics
    Continuing at Harvard, Thomas Kuhn received his MS degree in Physics.
  • Kuhn receives his PhD in Physics

    Kuhn receives his PhD in Physics
    Thomas Kuhn's years at Harvard were crucial in shaping his career. He studied Physics and obtained his degrees. He was a Harvard Junior Fellow which gave him academic freedom to switch from physics to the History and philosophy of science. He taught a course in the history of science at Harvard from 1948 - 1956
  • Professor of the History of Science Berkeley

    Professor of the History of Science Berkeley
    Kuhn moves to the Berkeley University in California where he teaches the History of Science. He is a member of both the history and philosophy departments.
  • The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

    The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
    While at Berkeley Kuhn writes and publishes his most popular and controversial book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. In it he coins the phrase "paradigm Shift". He describes a new way of thinking about how the scientific community progresses in knowledge. Challenging Popper's theories he suggests phases where there is Normal Science until too many problems (anomalies) arise. Leading to a Crisis phase then the Paradigm shift.
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    Professor of Philosophy MIT

    In 1979 he joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as Professor of Philosophy, remaining there until 1991.