Chapter 3

Science, Technology and Society

ASEJO, A. B.
College of Science
OUT LINE
3.1 Paradigm shifts and the nature of Scientific Revolutions

3.2 Kuhn’s scientific revolutions: from Copernicus to Einstein

3.3 Other intellectual revolutions

Table of Contents
Thomas Kuhn

The Copernican Revolution

The Newtonian Revolution

The Einsteinian Revolution

The Chemical Revolution

The Darwinian Revolution

The Freudian Revolution
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

Define normal science, paradigm shift, and scientific

revolution
Give examples of scientific revolutions

Discuss the criteria for scientific revolutions to be

considered as such
Argue whether a certain paradigm shift is truly a
scientific revolution (such as in the case of Freud)
Normal Paradigm Scientific
Science Shift Revolution
 “Thomas Samuel Kuhn is one of the most
influential philosophers of science of the twentieth
century, perhaps the most influential.”
- Source: plato.standford.edu

 The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962)

Thomas Kuhn
1922-1996
 “…means research firmly based upon one or
more past scientific achievements, achievements
that some particular scientific community
acknowledges for a time we supplying
Normal foundation for its further practice.”
-TS Kuhn, 1962
Science The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
 A plausible or scientifically
acceptable general
Paradigm principle or body of
principles offered to
explain phenomena
“an important
change that happens
when the usual way
of thinking about or
+ doing something is
replaced by a new
and different way”
-Merriam Webster
To exchange for or
Shift replace by another
“…non-cumulative developmental episodes in
which an older paradigm is replaced in whole
or in part by an incompatible new one.”
-TS Kuhn, 1962 Scientific
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Revolution
The Copernican
Revolution
 Geocentric Theory

Earth was a sphere in the

center of the universe; the
Sun , the Moon, the stars,
and the planets revolve
around Earth.
Claudius Ptolemy
127 A.D. -143 A.D.
 Ptolemy Copernicus

Revolutionary
Normal Science
Science

Geocentric Theory Heliocentric Theory

 Mathematician
& Astronomer

-proposed that the Sun was

stationary and the Earth
revolved around it.

Nicolaus Copernicus
1473-1543
Pioneer: Heliocentric Theory

Aristarchus of Samos
310 B.C.E. – 230 B.C.E.
Heliocentric Theory
1 Motion of heavenly bodies: uniform and circular.

The Sun is near the center.

2
The ff revolves around the Sun: Mercury, Venus,
3 Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn; Stars are fixed in
space.
Earth has 3 motions: daily rotation, annual
revolution and annual tilting of its axis. 4
The Newtonian
Revolution
 Mathematician,
Astronomer,
& Philosopher

Born of poverty but rose to

be a celebrated scientist due
to his many contributions.

Sir Isaac Newton

1643-1727
Normal Science
Revolutionary Science
Law of Universal Gravitation
-governs the paths of
heavenly bodies
Laws of Motion
-foundation of Classical
mechanics; allows us to
describe and understand
motion

Infinitesimal Calculus
-developed along with
Gottfried Leibniz
The Einsteinian
Revolution
 Physicist

Nobel Prize in Physics

1921

Albert Einstein
1879-1955
General and Special Theory
of Relativity
-Newton considered space
and time as fixed (normal
science); however Einstein
revolutionized this idea by
asserting that time and
space are relative in his
special theory of relativity;
-The general theory on the
other hand interweaves
gravity with space and time.
Photoelectric Effect

-phenomenon that happens

when an electromagnetic
radiation or light hits an
object; the shorter the
wavelength, the higher the
chance that it will cause the
release of electrons.
Brownian motion

-describe by Robert Brown;

-temperature is directly
proportional to the kinetic
energy of molecules.
Mass-Energy Equivalence

E=mc2

-describes the relationship of

mass and energy.
The Chemical
Revolution
ALCHEMY
Normal Science
 Inventor

“Father of Chemistry”

Theological Writer
Robert Boyle
1667-1691
 Boyle’s Contributions

Boyle’s Boyle’s
Air Pump Law

P1V1 = P2V2
 “Father of Modern
Chemistry”

Antoine-Laurent
Lavosier
1743-1794
 Lavosier’s Contributions

Phlogiston Theory
Normal By
Science
Joseph Priestly
The Darwinian
Revolution
Normal Science
 Naturalist

Geologist

Biologist
Charles Darwin
1809-1882
 Natural Selection
: a natural process that results in the survival
and reproductive success of individuals or
groups best adjusted to their environment and
that leads to the perpetuation of genetic
qualities best suited to that environment.

Evolutionary Biology
: a discipline of biology concerned with the
processes and patterns of biological evolution
especially in relation to the diversity of
organisms and how they change over time
The Theory of Evolution
The Freudian
Revolution
 Neurologist

“Father of
Psychoanalysis”

Sigmund Freud
1856-1939
Psychoanalytic theory

Conscious Unconscious
 Dreams

Verbal Slips

Free Association
Oedipus complex
 Activity
Directions: Research about the following scientists’
planetary model and complete the table below..
Name of Planetary Model What was What was wrong
Scientist correct with the with the model?
model?
 Assignment
Directions: Make a list of other scientists whose works can
be considered as Intellectual Revolutions.
Name of Scientist Most Important Work Paradigm Shift
Thank you for your attention!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
abasejo@plm.edu.ph