by Chrystal Mahan

Created on: October 12, 2009   Last Updated: October 14, 2009

Can We Separate Science from Ideology? No we can not separate science from ideology.

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

Normal Science according to Thomas Kuhn could be phrases as the "scientific discoveries." Kuhn goes on to say that Normal Science is the activity in which most scientists seem to spend all their time. It is assumed that one already knows what the world is like. He also says that the research for Normal Science is largely based on past research and achievements. This supplies the foundation for further practice.

No part of the aim of Normal Science is to bring out new types of phenomena, as this idea will not fit inside the idea of the scientific "box." There is no aim to invent new theories, but rather to use the theories the "box" already supplies. This in turn becomes dependent upon the paradigm using the existing theory to make the predictions.

Anomaly according to Kuhn can be summarized by giving the textbook definition, which is: deviation from the common type, rule, arrangement or form. Unexpected, unusual, or strange condition, situation or quality. In Kuhn's essay he tells us that anomaly is one of three characteristics true of all the discoveries from which the new types of phenomena emerge. Anomaly has a prerequisite to all acceptable changes in theories and they bring a scientist a significant amount of work.

Crisis is in a growing state according to Kuhn. The textbook definition of Crisis is a turning point in a sequence of events or a condition of instability. This version of the definition closely relates to what Kuhn was trying to tell us. The textbook gives us a general, broad statement if you will.

Kuhn's definition can be summarized as a failure of existing theory to solve a problem defined by that particular theory. Such failures are recognized so these crisis are not surprising. Crisis is also an essential element in all scientific research study.

If Normal Science is a puzzle, then we know why scientists attack them with as much passion and devotion that they do. Man likes a challenge it is in his nature. Any man who can succeed at the challenge proves himself to be an expert at puzzle solving, and the actual challenge of the puzzle is what drives him on to complete it.

Puzzle Solving in Normal Science are characterized by more then an assured solution. Research is a lot like puzzle solving; both have a set of rules which must be followed. Paradigms are always assumed to have a solution, whereas it is predetermined

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