Thomas Samuel Kuhn is an influential American philosophical and historical figure of the twentieth century. His most famous work, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, is the most cited book in the history of US science.
Biography
The future philosopher was born on July 18, 1922 into a Jewish family in Cincinnati (USA, Ohio). When he was 6 months old, the family moved to New York. Kuhn's father, Samuel, is a Harvard and MIT graduate and is a professional hydraulic engineer. Minette Struk, the famous scientist's mother, was an editor.
Career
In 1943, Thomas Kuhn, like his father, became a Harvard graduate in physics. In 1949 he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation here. After completing his studies, young Thomas worked with radars at the Harvard Research Laboratory. During the Second World War, he was an ordinary employee in the Bureau of Research and Development.
Since 1948, Thomas Kuhn has occupied a teaching niche. He began teaching the history of science to Harvard students following a personal request from the president of the university. Kuhn worked here until 1956. Later, Kuhn moved to the California Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was promoted to professor. He also taught philosophy of science at Princeton. Until 1991, Thomas Kuhn was active in teaching, in parallel with this he published books, worked on his own philosophical theory. He retired in 1991.
Famous works of the philosopher
In 1957, the Copernican Revolution was published with a loud refuting statement that the Earth is located in the center of the solar system.
1962th - "The structure of scientific revolutions." Kuhn introduces a new concept - "paradigm shift". According to the source "The Time Literary Supplement", this is one of the most significant books since the Second World War.
1977 - The book "Essential tension". It is a collection of Kuhn's topical philosophical essays.
1988 - a monograph on the historical theme "Black body theory …" was published.
Among the achievements of the scientist - the prestigious Guggenheim scholarship, the George Sarton medal, honorary titles in several scientific institutions. The scientist also served on the council of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and other significant scientific communities in the United States.
Personal life
Thomas Kuhn has been married twice. His first darling is Katerina Mus. The couple had three children. The scientist entered into a second marriage with Gian Barton, they had no children.
In 1994, the scientist was diagnosed with a malignant lung tumor. Kuhn continued to work on a philosophical monograph that focused on the transformed understanding of change in science and the concept of acquisition. The philosopher did not have time to finish his work, the book was not published. Thomas Kuhn died in Cambridge at the age of 73 (1996).
