Phi 272
Fall 2013
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Phi 272 F13
Reading guide for Wed. 10/9: Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, §III and p.s. §1(23-34, 173-180 [174-181]*)

Section III

If normal science does not aim at major novelties, what is its goal (pp. 23-25)?

Locate the three sorts of fact-gathering activities of normal science, the third of which itself comes in three varieties (pp. 25-30).

What are the corresponding three sorts of theoretical activity (pp. 30-34)?

Postscript, introduction and §1

What is Kuhn’s concept of a “scientific community” (pp. 175-177 [176-178])?

What are Kuhn’s second thoughts about what is really acquired in the transition to mature science (pp. 177-178 [178-179])?

What is the distinction he now wishes to draw between scientific communities and scientific subject matters (pp. 178-180 [179-180])?

Notice also his brief, but important, comments on the size of communities and the srouce of revolutions (pp. 180 [180-181]).

* When pages in the 2nd and 3rd editions differ from the 2012 edition, they are given in brackets.