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| The Structure of Scientific Revolutions | 
 enlarge | Author: Thomas S. Kuhn
Publisher: University Of Chicago Press
Discount Category: Book
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Customer Ratings:  121 comments
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 226
Shipping Weight (pounds): 0.5
Dimensions (inch): 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.6
ISBN: 0226458083
Dewey Decimal Number: 501
EAN: 9780226458083
Publication Date: December 15, 1996
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| Customer Comments:
 Most highly overrated book in philosophy? February 19, 2008
4 out of 9 found this comment useful.
It seems that most people think the philosophy of science begins and ends with Kuhn. Most of these people have never read the book, even fewer have read it critically, and fewer still are familiar with any significant amount of science or its philosophy beyond The Book.
It was greedily latched onto by many mainly because it is wrongly perceived as having somehow placed science on the same (presumptive) level of subjectivity as non-scientific intellectual endeavors like literary criticism.
Thus, while there is merit in the book the uses to which it has been put are execrable. In practice it has done nothing more for society than make people feel good about the fact that they don't understand science and mathematics even to the point of avoiding truly dangerous ignorance.
As with philosophy of science in general (which I love and respect), The Structure of Scientific Revolutions was and is largely ignored by those actually _doing_ science. Without Kuhn's assurance that they're making progress, scientists somehow manage to continue bringing us things like the human genome, cures and treatments for diseases you've never heard of, broadband internet, laser surgery, memory-foam matresses, HDTV, etc.
Science works. It is up to philosophers to explain why and lend helpful analysis and clarity. If philosophers can't explain why Science works, then it is Philosophy that has failed, not Science.
It would be redundant for me to recap the specific criticisms of Kuhn ably covered by other reviewers such as "Delendus est Griffinus", not to mention most of the top philosophers and scientists in the last 35 years.
To sum up: The Stucture of Scientific Revolutions does not claim what most people think it claims. The boldest of the book's claims are dubious, fallacious and/or based on factually incorrect or selective analyses of history. The remainder is an interesting and perhaps useful corrective to overly simplistic analyses of the process and history of science. The book does _not_ constitute a "paradigm shift" in thinking about or practicing science.
Personally, I think it will be largely an historical footnote in another decade or two. To some extent it already is, except to those operating _outside_ the mainstream of both science and the philosophy of science.
You don't need to read this book, but please, don't trust me!
Instead, read an anthology like Philosophy of Science: The Central Issues. You'll find all the Kuhn you need there, along with a more realistic idea of the spectrum of thinking in the philosophy of science. In that book Kuhn makes up ~60 of 1379 pages, which is on the order that the importance and "revolutionary" impact of his ideas deserve.
Review February 13, 2008
It is an interesting book that stretches the thought about how science evolves and the nature of that evolution/revolution. Thought provoking. Stimulating. A good thought framing piece to set a context around scientific exploration.
 Book review February 10, 2008
0 out of 1 found this comment useful.
The best book if one wants to learn about the history of science and theory. A difficult read but worth every sentence. Profound and foundational. Must read for all doctoral students!!
Structur of Scientific Revolutions January 14, 2008
0 out of 1 found this comment useful.
Thomas Kuhn's "Structure of Scientific Revolutions" is a must read for anyone studying the events at which a scientific theory no longer answers all the new observations -- Newton's laws of motion and Einstein's of gravity are often cited as classical examples -- and a new set of paradigms is developed. Unfortunately I lost the copy I had when taking a course in History of Science, am glad that it's still in print and to have it back in my library.
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions December 12, 2007
0 out of 1 found this comment useful.
This book is a must read for every college freshman. It should be required for entrance to any technical or scientific discipline.
Thomas Kuhn's seminal book on the evolution of knowledge and how new ideas are conceived, developed, and finally accepted. I had seen it referenced in many books and finally decided to read ir for myself.
It is not an easy read but put in the effort and you will reap a great reward.
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