Table of Contents

Preface vii 1. Kuhn's context 1 2. Normal and revolutionary science 29 3. Paradigms 65 4. Perception and world change 97 5. Incommensurability and meaning 149 6. Progress and relativism 209 7. Kuhn's legacy 267 Notes 281 Bibliography 299 Index 301

Promotional Information

The author succeeds extremely well in what he sets out to do, which is to let the reader know about Kuhn's ideas by putting in them in context and then discussing them in some detail. The book is fair, it is thorough, and it is balanced. -- Michael Ruse, University of Guelph Thomas Kuhn may well have been the most important contributor to Science Studies in the twentieth century. Alexander Bird's book about him is well written and full of creative and provocative argument. -- Peter Lipton, Cambridge University

About the Author

Alexander Bird is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of Philosophy of Science and Associate Editor of The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.

Reviews

"The author succeeds extremely well in what he sets out to do, which is to let the reader know about Kuhn's ideas by putting in them in context and then discussing them in some detail. The book is fair, it is thorough, and it is balanced."—Michael Ruse, University of Guelph

"Thomas Kuhn may well have been the most important contributor to Science Studies in the twentieth century. Alexander Bird's book about him is well written and full of creative and provocative argument."—Peter Lipton, Cambridge University