scientific-crisis

A period of pronounced professional insecurity and growing awareness of anomalies that existing paradigms cannot explain, leading to the search for new theories.

5 chapters across 1 book

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962)Thomas S. Kuhn

Chapter 14

This chapter explores the role of crisis in scientific paradigms and the emergence of new scientific theories. Kuhn argues that paradigm shifts are both destructive and constructive, often triggered by persistent anomalies that existing theories cannot resolve, leading to professional insecurity and eventual invention of new theories. Using historical examples such as the Copernican revolution and Lavoisier's oxygen theory, the chapter illustrates how prolonged crises in normal science precede major theoretical changes.

13. Ibid., p. 218. My colleague Postman tells me that, though knowing all about the apparatus and display in advance, he nevertheless found looking at the incongruous cards acutely uncomfortable.

This chapter briefly references an anecdote about Postman's discomfort when viewing incongruous cards despite prior knowledge, illustrating the psychological impact of paradigm shifts. It then transitions into a scholarly discussion on the historical development of scientific theories, citing key works on the scientific revolution, mechanics, optics, thermodynamics, and quantum theory to contextualize the emergence and crisis of scientific paradigms.

5. J. L. E. Dreyer, A History of Astronomy from Thales to Kepler (2d ed.; New York, 1953), chaps. xi–xii.

This chapter primarily consists of bibliographic references to key historical works on the development of astronomy, chemistry, and physics, highlighting the evolution of scientific thought from ancient to early modern periods. It emphasizes the documentation of scientific crises and paradigm shifts, such as those surrounding Lavoisier's work and the Copernican Revolution, illustrating the gradual recognition and resolution of foundational scientific problems.

VIII. The Response to Crisis

Chapter VIII, 'The Response to Crisis,' explores how scientific communities react when anomalies accumulate that cannot be explained by the prevailing paradigm, leading to a crisis. It references historical and philosophical discussions on the tension between tradition and innovation in scientific research, illustrating how crises prompt shifts in scientific thought and sometimes revolutionary changes. The chapter draws on examples such as the speed of sound and Mercury’s perihelion to demonstrate the empirical challenges that trigger these responses.

6. Albert Einstein, “Autobiographical Note,” in Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, ed. P. A. Schilpp (Evanston, Ill., 1949), p. 45.

This chapter primarily consists of bibliographic references related to the history and philosophy of science, highlighting key works and authors that discuss scientific crises, paradigm shifts, and the development of scientific ideas from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. It situates Einstein's autobiographical reflections alongside discussions of quantum mechanics, the origins of modern science, and the philosophical context of mechanics, emphasizing the historical and conceptual background necessary for understanding scientific revolutions.