1922 – 1996
Thomas Kuhn (1922-1996) was an American philosopher and historian of science whose landmark 1962 work 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions' fundamentally transformed how scholars understand scientific progress. He argued that science advances not through linear accumulation but through periodic paradigm shifts, introducing concepts like 'normal science,' 'paradigm,' and 'incommensurability' that reshaped philosophy of science.
Authored 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions' (1962)
Introduced the concept of paradigm shifts in scientific progress
Developed the theory of incommensurability between paradigms
Distinguished 'normal science' from 'revolutionary science'
Influenced philosophy, sociology, and history of science broadly