Paradigmamuoto

Paradigmamuoto is a Finnish term that translates directly to "paradigm shape" or "paradigm mold." It refers to a concept within philosophy and the social sciences, particularly associated with the work of Thomas Kuhn and his ideas on scientific revolutions. In essence, paradigm shift, a core concept in Kuhn's theory, describes a fundamental change in the basic concepts and experimental practices of a scientific discipline. Paradigmamuoto, therefore, can be understood as the underlying framework, set of assumptions, theories, and methods that define a particular scientific paradigm at a given time.

This framework dictates what questions are considered valid, what methods are appropriate for investigation, and how results are interpreted within that scientific community. When a paradigm becomes increasingly unable to explain new phenomena or resolve persistent anomalies, a crisis can emerge. This crisis may eventually lead to a scientific revolution, where the old paradigm is overthrown and replaced by a new one, thus altering the paradigm shape for the discipline. The term emphasizes the structured and often unquestioned nature of the existing scientific worldview before a paradigm shift occurs. It highlights how deeply ingrained these conceptual structures are, influencing the very way scientists perceive and interact with the world.