more from Thomas S. Kuhn

Single Idea 12128

[catalogued under 14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 5. Commensurability]

Full Idea

In transitions between theories words change their meanings or applicability. Though most of the signs are used before and after a revolution - force, mass, cell - the ways they attach to nature has changed. Successive theories are thus incommensurable.

Gist of Idea

In theory change, words shift their natural reference, so the theories are incommensurable

Source

Thomas S. Kuhn (Reflections on my Critics [1970], §6)

Book Reference

'Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge', ed/tr. Lakatos,I. /Musgrave,A. [CUP 1974], p.266


A Reaction

A very nice statement of the view, from the horse's mouth. A great deal of recent philosophy has been implicitly concerned with meeting Kuhn's challenge, by providing an account of reference that doesn't have such problems.