Thomas Kuhn Paradigm Shift Analysis

A scientific paradigm consists of the accepted theories and methods of practice that are currently used by the scientific community. In this essay, I will describe how Thomas Kuhn argues that science does not progress cumulatively, but rather progresses through the replacement of older paradigms. Kuhn believes that new theories in science must reject the previous theories, as opposed to building upon them collectively.

Kuhn is not claiming that there is no such thing as cumulative science, rather he is saying that the significant evolutions in science must involve a paradigm shift. There is no logical reason that science could not advance cumulatively, but the historical evidence suggests that it does not in practice. According to Kuhn, there

The common objection states the Newtonian physics is not incorrect, rather it is simply a special case of the Einstein’s newer theory. Under certain constraints, Newton’s equations can still accurately predict experimental results. Kuhn’s opponents would say this invalidates paradigm shift, since a theory cannot reject one of its special cases. They would go further to say that the two models only disagreed in the first place because of scientific malpractice by Newtonians. Newtonians overextended their theory by claiming that it was precise at high velocities, despite not having evidence for the claim. The objectors say that if all the similar mistakes were removed from the Newtonian model, then it could not be challenged by Einstein’s

Even if the equations of Newton’s model could be derived from Einstein’s theory, Kuhn would say that the results of the derivation are not Newton’s Laws. This is because the fundamental components of Einstein’s theory such as mass, time, and space do not have the same meaning under Newton’s framework. Although the derivation may seem correct, it occurred through the lens of Einstein’s paradigm and therefore the result is not equivalent to Newton’s Laws. Revolutionary shifts often involve such redefinition of key terms, and that can have wide spread consequences throughout the field. Kuhn summarizes, saying this example “illustrates with particular clarity the scientific revolution as a displacement of the conceptual network through which scientists view the world” (Kuhn 2012, p. 102). In order for an old theory to be viewed as a special case, it must be changed in a way that is only possible under the direction of the newer