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I always think about the industrial revolution in that it created so many things. The whole postmodernist movement in literature was created from the industrial revolution.

Then I think of Thomas Kuhn who outlined the "Structure of Scientific Revolutions" in his book of the same name. He said that revolutions are caused by anomalies, persistent in normal science. Around these anomalies and the belief in the proper way to fix the differences, form groups of followers. These followers dedicate their lives to advocating change. They form newly symbolized sections of science that may not have even existed before.

He uses terms such as "paradigm" and "shift" to describe what is happening with Scientific Revolutions; saying that a shift occurs when a new paradigm replaces an old one. A "paradigm" is an accepted belief of the scientific community, ever changing with the advancement of technology and the gaining of new knowledge. A "shift" occurs when the belief in paradigm changes, caused by the appearance of anomalies, the division of the scientific community into groups of opposing beliefs, and the eventual majority ruling of these groups towards a single paradigm.

This has been the structure of scientific revolutions since the beginning of normal science. Revolutions are caused by a disagreement in the way that large communities are being organized. In reference to science; the way in which scientists explain the world around them. In reference to government; the way in which different parties are suggesting the geographical area should be run. In reference to society and it's many instances (social space, relationships, popularity, etc.); the way in which the space is being controlled which is measured by the negative and positive feelings one would receive.

There are numerous instances that can be explained by Kuhn's scientific revolution theories. Even the fact that his theories can be used to explain other things in the world addresses the idea that he puts forth about sciences pursuit for the most true. He purposes that there are many theories, that may not be completely correct, but the theory that we should temporarily believe is the one that explains the most. The reason for this is that by explaining more things, it can lead us into a new direction that would present different possibilities.

There are many things that use this process: Sudoku's, crime investigation, forming of relationships, cryptoquotes, and many others which I'm sure I'll go into at some point. This idea that more than one thing may use this process is another example of Kuhn's Ideas. He suggests that we are pursuing an answer that will answer all of our questions. We are trying to put everything into a neat little box.

Think about this in terms of a Sudoku, if there were 5 people trying to solve it. Each person would have their process to follow, their original ideas of what the answer could be, and little tricks that they would use in their mind to help solve the puzzle. Everyone would have slightly different processes, slightly different original ideas and slightly different tricks, all depending on if they have done a lot of Sudoku's, if they are good at puzzles, if their memory is better or worse than others, and so on. If everyone in the room, the 5 puzzle solvers, were to all discuss each and every square and what number each person think would go in the block, they would most likely agree on most of the squares. However, when reaching a square that has more then one possibility, the education of the puzzle solver will effect what happens next.

What the puzzle solver knows, may help him follow steps to describe what is happening based on past experiences and the repetition of situations. He could look elsewhere in the puzzle to point him in the direction of the answer.

- or-

What the puzzle solver knows, may get in his way. He could be convinced that a "2" belongs in one of the squares based on what he knows about the workings of the puzzle. He may not be able to see anymore options because he knows that his rules work and that is it. Anomalies however are invisible to the naked eye, and only become prominent when a method for solving a problem consistently displays problems of it's own, meaning that the answer can not always be reached by a particular method. When this happens, it is up to the other puzzle solvers, those who are not bound to the old ways, and the methods of the puzzle solver who is stuck on "2". These fresh eyes give a new outlook to what is going on, allowing one puzzle solver to be proven incorrect and a new method of solving being replaced. Kuhn says that the person to discover the answer is usually young, and it comes to them out of no where. This person would discover the answer because their vision would not have been as clouded as someone who knows too much about the establishment that connects them.

Only when this method reveals new anomalies, will the method "shift" to a new "paradigm".

So let's rewind back for a minute now. Kuhn's theory of revolution can be used to describe all revolutions, then isn't his ideas the next one of many to need a group of followers to go around convincing people that it is most true?

Well, This theory of multiperspectives providing subjectivity to objects, is apparent in many aspects of my schooling. English, Science, Philosophy, Social History and others. It seems as though the followers are already there!

Postmodernism, Scientific Revoltuon, Political reform; all of these things use the same principle as Kuhn describes. That is that there is a group of people unhappy with their present situation, and they advocate change.

__________

I'm not happy.
I do not like what I am doing with my life.
Is it more difficult to combat the opressor when it and the opressed are one in the same.

"Self Destructive", "Unmotivated", "Not willing to change"... Explaining science? Or me?.

Posted by andburn on 2008-12-08 10:10:58 | Rating: