POS Week 4

paradigm

impressive scientific achievement that it shows the way into new ways of studying reality and reaching for new and more scientific successes

paradigm evolves to include

fundamental theories (all scientists agree to); more breakthrough (standard examples of new theories); shared scientific values; shared methodological prescriptions

Normal science - Thomas Kuhn

scientists agree what problems they need to tackle, what are the methods of scientific research and which results count as scientifically valid - this is the system and if it works well, we're in the state of normal science

Does anomaly influence the whole paradigm?

Normal science upholds certain norms and these are no longer under discussion; when there is an anomaly, scientists try to solve it within the existing paradigm, only if efforts fail, the problem is investigated and it may lead to a scientific revolution

Four elements of a paradigm

1. Symbolic generalisations; 2. Exemplars; 3. Scientific values; 4. Methodological prescriptions

Symbolic generalisations

allow for theories to be depicted through the use of symbols

Exemplars

examples of how to apply a theory

scientific values

social-institutional dimension of a paradigm

methodological prescriptions

how to observe? What counts as an observation?

Revolutionary science

change of paradigms; revolutionary growth of knowledge; taking another picture as guide in solving hitherto unsolved puzzles

Conclusions based on Kuhn

1. Truth only exists within paradigms; 2. No independent criterion to choose between paradigms, this allows the idea of relativism; 3. Science is a human activity

Ideal of Positive Science

There cannot be a science solely based on observation and logic; Popper says that we can only falsify a theory; Kuhn, Duhem and Quine say that we can neither falsify nor confirm; sacrificing falsifying observation is often a rational thing to do