The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

"The Structure of Scientific Revolutions," by Thomas Kuhn, argues that scientific progress doesn't happen in a straight line but through a series of phases. Science operates under "paradigms," which are shared frameworks and theories that guide research. Normal science works within these paradigms until anomalies arise that can't be explained. When enough anomalies accumulate, a crisis occurs, leading to a "paradigm shift," where a new framework replaces the old one. This shift changes how scientists view and investigate the world, illustrating that scientific knowledge is not just cumulative but also transformative.