Thomas Kuhn’s Philosophy of Science

Hi, I am Arkadiusz Synowczyk. I am a philosophy student at Newcastle University (UK). My areas of specialization are epistemology (the theory of knowledge) and philosophy of science. You can find me on Twitter.

Thomas Kuhn is one of the most influential philosophers of science of the twentieth century. His most famous book – The Structure of Scientific Revolutions – is the most cited social science book in history and one of the most cited academic books of all time.

Given such an influence of Kuhn, it is important to understand and know his ideas. But what are those? The central ideas of his philosophy of science, like incommensurability or world-change, are often difficult to understand. Moreover, some claim that he was a radical relativist who attacked science. Others – including Kuhn himself – deny the charge. 

This salon aims to explain Kuhn’s philosophy of science and answer the ambiguities about his ideas. But that’s not all. One of the most important reasons to care about ideas is their real-life consequences. Therefore, the second aim of this salon is to engage in a moderated discussion about 1) the concrete, practical consequences of accepting his ideas, and 2) whether his ideas are true or not (or even whether truth is a legitimate concept).

If you have any questions about the salon, contact me via arkadiuszsynowczyk@gmail.com.

Recommended readings:

1. Postscript to The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn (publicly available through Google)

Readings for advanced study:

1. Thomas Kuhn by Alexander Bird
2. Thomas Kuhn by Thomas Nickles
3. Interpreting Kuhn: Critical Essays by K. Brad Way

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