The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Kuhn has one central claim: scientific progress doesn't assemble smoothly but advances through periodic ruptures. Kuhn calls them paradigm shifts.

My Notes

Kuhn says science functions within "paradigms." And paradigms are publicly accepted theories and methods that define how a certain field works. During normal science, scientists work within these frameworks, solving problems and updating what is known. Too many unexplained phenomena piling up leads to crisis. And this crisis, in turn, can sometimes trigger a revolutionary period where a new type of paradigm can emerge, the one that completely challenges the field's previous methods, premises, shaping the entire framework.

Kuhn gives some examples of such massive transitions:

• Copernicus's sun-centered model replacing the earth-centered view.
• Einstein's relativity replacing Newtonian physics.
• Lavoisier's oxygen theory revolutionizing how chemistry understood combustion.
• Darwin's theory of evolution.

Kuhn's work was revolutionary in itself. It changed the way we understand science. His work showed us that scientific progress can involve social and human factors. Not just cold logic. And his "paradigm shift" became too popular of a phrase too. But there are people who disagree. Some say his views make science look too irrational or too subjective. But in any case, his ideas were influential.