Kuhn

Kuhn is a surname of German origin. The best-known bearer in academic circles is Thomas S. Kuhn (1922–1996), an American physicist and historian of science. His work challenged linear, cumulative models of scientific progress by arguing that science advances through recurring cycles of normal science and scientific revolutions.

In The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962), Kuhn introduced the concept of a paradigm: an accepted framework of theories, methods, and standards that guide research within a field. Normal science operates within a paradigm, solving puzzles and refining techniques. Over time, anomalies accumulate, leading to a crisis and eventually a scientific revolution that replaces the old paradigm with a new one. This process can involve changes in terminology, methods, and the interpretation of evidence, and Kuhn suggested that different paradigms can be incommensurable, making direct comparison difficult.

Kuhn’s ideas, including the notion of paradigm shifts, have had a profound influence on the philosophy of science, science studies, and education. They sparked extensive debate, with supporters highlighting the non-linear nature of scientific change and critics challenging the clarity of progress and the idea of incommensurability. His later collection The Essential Tension (1977) further examined the balance between the authority of established science and the critical discussion necessary for change.

Beyond Thomas S. Kuhn, the surname appears in various contexts in academia and culture, reflecting its German roots. The concept of paradigm shifts remains a widely cited reference point in discussions of scientific development and intellectual history.