The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: 50th Anniversary Edition
Open accessAbstract
A good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, and we forget how provocative and challenging its ideas once were-and still are. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is that kind of book. When it was first published in 1962, it was a landmark event in the history and philosophy of science. And fifty years later, it still has many lessons to teach. With The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don't arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation, but that revolutions in those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas, occur outside of normal science, as he called it. Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age. This new edition of Kuhn's essential work in the history of science includes an insightful introductory essay by Ian Hacking that clarifies terms popularized by Kuhn, including paradigm and incommensurability, and applies Kuhn's ideas to the science of today. Usefully keyed to the separate sections of the book, Hacking's essay provides important background information as well as a contemporary context. Newly designed, with an expanded index, this edition will be eagerly welcomed by the next generation of readers seeking to understand the history of our perspectives on science.
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Paradigm shifts occur when a dominant paradigm can no longer incorporate anomalies or contradictions.
“Paradigm shifts occur when a dominant paradigm can no longer incorporate anomalies or contradictions (Kuhn, 2012).”
From EU Climate diplomacy between justice, order and systemic change (2026) · cites this paper as Kuhn, 2012
PPI is at a pre-paradigm stage in its development and recognition.
“Such evolution is particularly important for GRIPP2 because PPI is at a pre-paradigm stage in its development and recognition, reflecting Kuhn’s conceptualisation of how science changes over time with significant paradigm shifts that generate new ways of thinking [20].”
From GRIPP2 reporting checklists: tools to improve reporting of patient and public involvement in research (2017) · cites this paper as [20]
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Untitled work
Rambelli, F. (2017) · Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies
- Authors
- Kuhn, T. S., & Hacking, I.
- Venue
- American Journal of Physics
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 2012
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 176-177
- ISSN
- 0002-9505 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2752443224
- Cited by
- 21,170
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 197 · 2025: 556 · 2024: 1008 · 2023: 1204 · 2022: 1261 · 2021: 1229 · 2020: 1245 · 2019: 1160 · 2018: 1008 · 2017: 818 · 2016: 764 · 2015: 708 · 2014: 653 · 2013: 646 · 2012: 532
- FWCI
- 121.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.gbv.de
- Locations
- American Journal of Physics (publishedVersion)
- Princeton University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- University of Chicago Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion)
- Andalas University Repository (Andalas University) (submittedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy, Science, and History
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Diverse Historical and Scientific Studies
- Keywords
- Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, scientific revolution, normal science, paradigm shift, incommensurability, scientific anomalies, scientific progress, history of science, philosophy of science, Ian Hacking
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