NBE3C English

The required pages soon On page 78, Barker and Kitcher describe a view of the history of science that is the antithesis of Kuhn's view; they call it the "unKuhn view." In brief, the unKuhn view holds that mature sciences make progress "subject to the governance of reason."

 

Read Barker and Kitcher's discussion on pp 78–87 attentively and critically. You'll probably need to read it more than once. (You may omit the text-boxes, though you have already read the one on the discovery of oxygen.) The unKuhn view is alleged to have two weaknesses. First, if scientists are unable to solve outstanding problems posed by a paradigm, "this is not taken to falsify the central principles that were put to work in their attempted solutions"

 

(80). Second, "On Kuhn's account, rival paradigms are 'incommensurable'"

 

(81). (a) Carefully explain these objections. What exactly does the opponent of Kuhn say that gets him/her into trouble with them?

 

(b) How would this opponent defend him/herself?

 

(c) Offer your own assessment of the unKuhn view in response.