Gleaned from Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, this week’s episode discusses the need for occasional revolutions in the world of science.
When it was first published in 1962, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions marked a significant milestone in the history and philosophy of science. In this book, Kuhn argues that major scientific breakthroughs don’t come from everyday experimentation and data gathering. He believes that transformative ideas occur outside of normal science and arise from revolutions that challenge accepted ways of thinking.
Fifty years later, lessons from this book are still applicable to our current world. The ultimate transformative moment occurs when our paradigm shifts. This means that sometimes, it’s necessary to disassemble a familiar structure and put it back together in a completely different way. This week, Ashto and Jonesy learn that science isn’t a linear, cumulative process; science changes by means of revolutions.