Book contents
- Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions at 60
- Cambridge Philosophical Anniversaries
- Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions at 60
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Writing Structure
- Part II Normal Science and Science Education
- 3 Kuhn’s “Fifth Law of Thermodynamics”
- 4 Normal Science
- 5 “Textbook Science” before and after Structure
- 6 Thomas Kuhn, Normal Science, and Education
- Part III Incommensurability, Progress, and Revolutions
- Part IV Kuhn’s Impact on the Philosophy, Sociology, and History of Science
- Bibliography
- Index
4 - Normal Science
The Rise and Fall of Scientific Traditions
from Part II - Normal Science and Science Education
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 January 2024
- Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions at 60
- Cambridge Philosophical Anniversaries
- Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions at 60
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Writing Structure
- Part II Normal Science and Science Education
- 3 Kuhn’s “Fifth Law of Thermodynamics”
- 4 Normal Science
- 5 “Textbook Science” before and after Structure
- 6 Thomas Kuhn, Normal Science, and Education
- Part III Incommensurability, Progress, and Revolutions
- Part IV Kuhn’s Impact on the Philosophy, Sociology, and History of Science
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Normal science is one of the core concepts in Kuhn’s philosophy, and its implications have been the target of both critical approaches and friendly attempts at analytic elucidation. This chapter aims to clarify the role of normal science in Kuhn’s philosophy, showing that some basic features of normal science, such as problem solving and the lack of criticism toward basic commitments, lead to a successful explanation of scientific progress. To do this, the chapter examines normal science, emphasizing the main features of the concept, the role it plays in the notion of science defended by Kuhn, and how it allows us to articulate the social and cognitive dimensions of scientific practice.
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- Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions at 60 , pp. 79 - 94Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024
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