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"The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"
This is Thomas Kuhn's most famous work. In it, he classified discoveries under "normal," and "revolutionary" science, depending on the importance to the community (Bird, par. 10). His description of normal science is that of it being the common progression of the science. His outline of scientific findings differed from that of Karl Popper in the sense that he saw normal science as a positive being, rather than a hinder on progress (Bird, par. 11). -
The Paradigm has shifted!
His most famous concept to date is of paradigms. In his context, a paradigm is the accepted way of performing science in a concentrated field of study (Godfrey-Smith, 76). The saying, "the paradigm has shifted," has been coined by many since his introduction. The theory of a paradigm shift is the change of a previous, outdated philosophy, to that of a new, improved one. Some famous examples would be Darwin's evolution, or Copernicus' heliocentric model. -
Incommensurability
Another great additive to his work "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions," Kuhn's term of incommensurability has been often debated about the logical reference of his view. In his words, incommensurability states that a previous paradigm and a current one cannot be compared effectively due to different viewpoints of the observer (Kuhn, 1970, 201). This concept proposed the idea that certain theories are just not comparative based on their contradictory knowledge to each other. -
The Sociology of Science
Thomas Kuhn's post-paradigm studies were mostly dedicated to the social sciences (Bird, 2004). Kuhn's participation in positivist debates and other choice theory arguments has helped shape social studies as it is perceived in 20th century philosophy (Bird, 2004). His contribution to this field greatly influenced the work of Robert Merton, who was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1994 for his important work (Britannica, 2019).
