Paradigm meaning

Origin of the word The word paradigm derives from Greek and Latin and has been in use since the 15th century. In Greek, ‘para’ meaning ‘beside’ and ‘deiknynai’ meaning ‘to display or show’ were combined to form ‘paradeiknyai’, which possessed the literal meaning ‘to display side by side’ (1) (2). The Latin word ‘paradigma’ was used to refer to ‘a model or pattern’, which is still one of the formal meanings of the word paradigm today (1). Related words: paradigmatic, paradigmatical, paradigm shift [a noticeable change in the paradigm (2) of a particular discipline, especially a scientific one]. Examples Since the early 1970s, the application of the concept of paradigm shift has become increasingly common: “A scientific revolution occurs, according to Kuhn, when scientists encounter anomalies which cannot be explained by the universally accepted paradigm and the scientific discipline is thrown into a state of crisis. New ideas, perhaps ones previously discarded, are tried. An intellectual ‘battle’ takes place between the followers of the new paradigm and the hold-outs of the old paradigm. After a given discipline has changed from one paradigm to another, this is called, in Kuhn’s terminology, a scientific revolution or a paradigm shift.” Research Journal of Social Sciences. 2008: The influence of the dominant linguistic paradigm on language teaching (2). “A new treatment for advanced skin cancer has been hailed as a paradigm shift after it boosted one year survival chances f...

When it comes to the English language, there are a ton of fancy-schmancy-sounding words — and the term “paradigm” is one of them. Have you ever heard this word and wondered what it meant? If so, you’re in the right place! In this post, we’re exploring the word paradigm to uncover its definition, origin, synonyms, antonyms, and related words. We’ll also go over some examples to help you feel comfortable using paradigm in a sentence. If you’re ready to discover all there is to know about the word paradigm, keep reading! What Is the Definition of Paradigm? The noun paradigm can be a bit confusing to understand, so let’s take a look at a few definitions provided by three trusted dictionaries: • The • According to • The Although each definition varies slightly, we can conclude that the term paradigm is a standard, perspective, or set of ideas. In other words, it’s a way of looking at something. What Is the Origin of Paradigm? According to the In Greek, the words para meaning “beside” and deiknynai meaning “to show or display” were combined to form the term paradeiknyai, which possessed the meaning “to display side by side.” Late Latin paradigma was commonly used to refer to “a pattern or model,” which is still one of the formal meanings of the term paradigm. What Are Synonyms and Antonyms of Paradigm? When looking to expand your knowledge of a word, it can be helpful to review its synonyms and antonyms from a trusty thesaurus. In short, synonyms are words or phrases that have t...

Thomas Kuhn’s work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is one of the most th century. Its release in 1962 triggered a hornet’s nest of activity in response. In the book, Kuhn challenges all the traditional notions about how science progresses. In our post-Kuhnian world where the word paradigm is thrown around like hotcakes, it is difficult to appreciate just how revolutionary Kuhn’s reconception of science was. What’s interesting in Kuhn’s case is just how different his background is from the people usually entrusted with these labels. In this article, we are going to look at the central idea of Kuhn’s work: the term paradigm. This term has attained a state of ubiquity that most buzzwords can only dream of; from the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies to the circle sharing at remote hippy communes, the term has penetrated every layer of the culture. The Traditional vs Kuhnian History of Science Before we get into the term paradigm, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the traditional view of scientific progress. It is in contrast to this view that Kuhn’s term paradigm stands and so getting a clearer picture of what the term is distinguished from will give us a clearer idea of what he means by paradigm. The standard view of scientific progression before Kuhn — and a view that still seems to hold more sway in popular culture — is the idea that science is a piecemeal cumulative process. The history of science on this view is seen a linear progression of slow and steady ...

Thomas Samuel Kuhn (1922–1996) is one of the most influential philosophers of science of the twentieth century, perhaps the most influential. His 1962 book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is one of the most cited academic books of all time. Kuhn’s contribution to the philosophy of science marked not only a break with several key positivist doctrines, but also inaugurated a new style of philosophy of science that brought it closer to the history of science. His account of the development of science held that science enjoys periods of stable growth punctuated by revisionary revolutions. To this thesis, Kuhn added the controversial ‘incommensurability thesis’, that theories from differing periods suffer from certain deep kinds of failure of comparability. 1. Life and Career Thomas Kuhn’s academic life started in physics. He then switched to history of science, and as his career developed he moved over to philosophy of science, although retaining a strong interest in the history of physics. In 1943, he graduated from Harvard summa cum laude. Thereafter he spent the remainder of the war years in research related to radar at Harvard and then in Europe. He gained his master’s degree in physics in 1946, and his doctorate in 1949, also in physics (concerning an application of quantum mechanics to solid state physics). Kuhn was elected to the prestigious Society of Fellows at Harvard, another of whose members was W. V. Quine. At this time, and until 1956, Kuhn taught a class...

Learning Objectives • Define paradigm, and describe the significance of paradigms • Identify and describe the four predominant paradigms found in the social sciences • Define theory • Describe the role that theory plays in social work research The terms paradigm and theory are often used interchangeably in social science, although social scientists do not always agree whether these are identical or distinct concepts. This text makes a clear distinction between the two ideas because thinking about each concept as analytically distinct provides a useful framework for understanding the connections between research methods and social scientific ways of thinking. Paradigms in social science For our purposes, we’ll define paradigm as a way of viewing the world (or “analytic lens” akin to a set of glasses) and a framework from which to understand the human experience (Kuhn, 1962). It can be difficult to fully grasp the idea of paradigmatic assumptions because we are very ingrained in our own, personal everyday way of thinking. For example, let’s look at people’s views on abortion. To some, abortion is a medical procedure that should be undertaken at the discretion of each individual woman. To others, abortion is murder and members of society should collectively have the right to decide when, if at all, abortion should be undertaken. Chances are, if you have an opinion about this topic, you are pretty certain about the veracity of your perspective. Then again, the person who sits ...

Yagi Studio/Getty Images Thomas Kuhn, the well-known physicist, philosopher and historian of science, was born 94 years ago today. He went on to become an important and broad-ranging thinker, and one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century. Kuhn's 1962 book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, transformed the philosophy of science and changed the way many scientists think about their work. But his influence extended well beyond the academy: The book was widely read — and seeped into popular culture. One measure of his influence is the widespread use of the term "paradigm shift," which he introduced in articulating his views about how science changes over time. Inspired, in part, by the theories of psychologist Jean Piaget, who saw children's development as a series of discrete stages marked by periods of transition, Kuhn posited two kinds of scientific change: incremental developments in the course of what he called "normal science," and scientific revolutions that punctuate these more stable periods. He suggested that scientific revolutions are not a matter of incremental advance; they involve "paradigm shifts." Talk of paradigms and paradigm shifts has since become commonplace — not only in science, but also in The Globe and Mail, Robert Fulford describes paradigm as "a crossover hit: It moved nimbly from science to culture to sports to business." But what, exactly, is a paradigm shift? Or, for that matter, a paradigm? The Merriam-Webster dictionary...