THOMAS KUHN, PARADIGM SHIFTS AND WORLD CHANGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7443/problemata.v14i4.65624Keywords:
paradigm, world change, Thomas KuhnAbstract
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) is one of the most influential books of the second half of the twentieth century in the field of philosophy of science. In chapter X, Kuhn presents a metaphysical problem titled "World Change Problem." This chapter has generated an extensive bibliography in which commentators intend to understand the paradoxical statements that Kuhn formulates to characterize scientific revolutions through paradigm shifts. As an auxiliary tool of analysis for understanding this controversial theme in the context of Kuhnian studies, I propose the division of chapter X into four argumentative moments: (1) §1 ao §5; (2) §6 ao §14; (3) §15 ao §19; e (4) §20 ao §36. This division aims to (1) explain the philosopher's path in the presentation of the problem of world change and (2) to present the hypothesis that, particularly at the last argumentative moment, Kuhn is questioning a fundamental aspect of scientific activity: observational data. From this finding, I explore the implications and consequences of this questioning for the image of Kuhnian science in the face of the contemporary discussion about what the philosopher's position would be in the debate of realism versus scientific and metaphysical antirealism.
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