Chomsky, Popper, et al

Michael Pollak mpollak at panix.com
Mon Apr 3 03:29:32 PDT 2000


JKSCHW at aol.com wrote on Sun Apr 02 2000:


> I think there can be "normal science" in a particular tendency in a
> nonconsensual field--evem philosophy!

Here's the nub. That may be a perfectly servicable view. But it can't be called Kuhn's theory anymore. Because if there is normal science during the revolutionary phrase just the same as there is during the normal phrase, then there is no qualitative difference between the revolutionary and normal phases. In that case, there are no scientific revolutions, just differences in degree. This amounts to turning Kuhn on his head. Which is not always a bad thing, mind. But it's wrong to attribute the view to Kuhn.

Michael

__________________________________________________________________________ Michael Pollak................New York City..............mpollak at panix.com



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