ISSN 2756-3456
Global Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 4 (8), pp. 001-007, August, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Review
Kuhn and the actual practice of science: Examining the extent to which Kuhn’s analysis is scientific
Kennedy Onkware1*, Janet Kassilly Nasambu Barasa1 and Felix Nguzo Kioli2
1Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Masinde Muliro University, PO BOX 190-50100 Kakamega-Kenya.
2Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Maseno University, Kenya.
Accepted 10 August, 2015
Abstract
In the structure of scientific revolutions hereunder referred to as SSR (1962), Kuhn claimed to have captured correctly how science is practiced. However, his critics such as Shapere (1984) argued that Kuhn’s account is far from being a true account of how science is practiced. Consequently, this led to a philosophical dispute on whether or not Kuhn’s work was a correct interpretation of how science is practiced. In the light of the foregoing debate Kuhn published his The Essential Tension (1977) to defend his position in his earlier book the SSR. In the context of this debate, this article is a philosophical analysis to determine whether or not Kuhn’s SSR is a correct empirical description of how science is practiced.
Key words: Practice of science, Kuhn, paradigm, paradigmatic science, science, scientific method.