PHIL 2180 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Thomas Kuhn, Ian Hacking, Normal Science
Truth and Science
Scientific progression is often a recognized and accepted feat by many people of the
modern world. In normal science, developments are made under a particular paradigm and are
deemed as progressive acts. This can almost look as if scientific development is a striving
towards a deeper truth or objective reality. In my opinion, this cannot be entirely true if objective
reality is not confined to the current paradigm. For example, with progression archived in our
third dimensional external physical world, through invention and innovation; I would argue that,
progression can be noted as such if it is understood to be a lateral movement under the influence
of an operational rubric, hence the paradigm.
In my mind, three-dimensional physical reality is meant for us to explore and discover
ourselves in this world. What is often considered as progression or scientific development, I
believe to be a development outwards laterally and simply an expression of anthropomorphic
culture development. In a way, human nature and development is scientific progression, it is
chaotic and fractal patterned, always turning up with nothing new, but a new way to perceive
said discovery.
Kuhn’s idea of change rather than progression, is the idea that I am speaking to. Progress
is only noted as such when its definition operates under a particular paradigm. It is truth, but only
because knowledge in said paradigm is relegated to serve its role in fulfilling the truth.
Change that results from normal scientific development is never truly progression
towards objective reality. In my mind this is simply because it is what gives us purpose, to
discover and understand. As long as we are perceptually bound by our human senses, and we
choose to use those senses for so-called discovery or progression, we will never really get closer
to objective truth. Much like the concept of time that we view as linear, because we are unable to
see the past or predict the future. We will never recognize time as a simultaneously infinitely
existing phenomenon in a single moment, because we are not meant to.
Reference:
Kuhn, Thomas S. (2012). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions / Thomas S. Kuhn; with an
introductory essay by Ian Hacking. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Document Summary
Scientific progression is often a recognized and accepted feat by many people of the modern world. In normal science, developments are made under a particular paradigm and are deemed as progressive acts. This can almost look as if scientific development is a striving towards a deeper truth or objective reality. In my opinion, this cannot be entirely true if objective reality is not confined to the current paradigm. In my mind, three-dimensional physical reality is meant for us to explore and discover ourselves in this world. What is often considered as progression or scientific development, i believe to be a development outwards laterally and simply an expression of anthropomorphic culture development. In a way, human nature and development is scientific progression, it is chaotic and fractal patterned, always turning up with nothing new, but a new way to perceive said discovery. Kuhn s idea of change rather than progression, is the idea that i am speaking to.