The Concept of a Scientific Paradigm - Essay Sample

Introduction

The concept of a scientific paradigm was first introduced by Thomas Khun, who also wrote about it in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Bird, 2018). He defined this concept as scientific achievements that are universally recognized by a community of practitioners who depended on the achievements for problem models and their solutions. Because a paradigm was scientific knowledge, Khun realized that it would make some progress or change with time (Bird, 2018). He termed this change paradigm shift and described it as a fundamental change in the experimental practices and concepts of scientific knowledge (Kuhn, 1996). Other authors later contextualized the concept. Robert Fulford termed it as a crossover hit, moving it from science to sports and business (Fulford, 1999). Another British philosopher, Martin Cohen, in his book Paradigm Shift: How expert opinions keep changing on life, the universe and everything, described paradigm shift as something like an "intellectual virus" spreading across disciplines, and that it involves abandoning old scientific approaches while opening up to new understanding. Paradigm shift accommodated new approaches that scientists had not considered earlier as new information was discovered (Cohen, 2015).

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How Has the Concept Changed Over Time?

According to Bird (2018), paradigm plays the role of supplying scientists with puzzles they should solve and even give them solution tools for the puzzles. One of the significant changes in the concepts of paradigm and paradigm shifts is the fact that they have been contextualized to fit other disciplines other than science and help solve problems (Bird, 2018). Paradigm shifts have been considered a framework for change in other areas like business and cultures of societies. It has been used to describe shifts in economic policies and theories as well as other areas of social sciences to explain how certain aspects change and the need for accommodation. Governance and leadership styles have also undergone paradigm shifts so that people can be served better (Snow & Lloyd, 2018). In a nutshell, the concept of paradigm shift has changed in its application, whereby it is being applied to many other disciplines to explain new or emerging concepts that come with change.

What are the Current Questions/Debates About the Concept?

The current debates about paradigm shift revolve around how the concept can be used to drive various forms of change across organizations (Kenton, 2019). The contemporary public discourse encourages individuals and organizations to rethink new ways of doing things so that they can either benefit more or cope with uncertainties. Others have considered what role a paradigm shift can play in the analysis of developmental policies (Vanner & Bicket, 2016). The wave of change has hit almost every discipline. In business, new marketing strategies are being used to target potential customers in places like online, where many people connect through the use of the internet. Changes are also being done in the production process to change the amount and quality of goods produced so that they can be better for the target markets, and fetch more profits (Kenton, 2019). Another current debate on the concept of a paradigm shift within scientific circles is the issue of observational incommensurability. Kuhn pointed out that theory-dependent observation is utterly disproportionate among scientists, and every conclusion on any scientific observation is dependent on the current theory, and the observer's eye. For this reason, the concept of paradigm shift has not been observed by scientists or philosophers who focus on other theories for scientific explanations (Bird, 2018).

How Has the Concept Been Used In Research Projects?

The concept of paradigm shift has been used in various research projects in different areas of expertise. Notably, it has widely been used in the gaming industry to build models that test competition and competitiveness (Zackariasson & Wilson, 2010). It has also been used by governments in innovation projects that challenge the existing paradigms, so that means of operations can be altered or adjusted to drive social change (Snow & Lloyd, 2018). The concept of paradigm shift has also been primarily used in research projects majoring in the development of education and the design industry. Problems in design and education fields have been studied, and their solutions have been suggested according to paradigm shifts, meaning new designs need to be classified differently and not as part of visual arts (Irbite, 2014). Other philosophers who subscribed to Kuhn's work have developed new directions in philosophical research and development considering new areas of applications. Paul Hoyningen, for instance, came up with the neo-Kantian interpretation to discuss world change and perception (Bird, 2018).

How Do You Use The Concept?

It is crucial to analyze the historical aspects of frameworks, projects, research, governments, policies and many others to ascertain their levels of success and failure, to know what to change and what to leave intact. Changing certain things can be disastrous while also adjusting can also be helpful. In every aspect of personal learning and doing things, I tend to be flexible and accommodative in dealing with issues, people, or ideas. This tendency has promoted understanding and made many aspects of my life better. From a scientific perspective, foundational knowledge is fundamental in any kind of future progress; however, science should allow revisions and conception of new knowledge. This is the reason why I am a proponent and an applicator of the concepts of paradigm and paradigm shift.

Works Cited

Cohen, Martin. Paradigm shift: How expert opinions keep changing on life, the universe, and everything. Andrews UK Limited, 2015.

Fulford, Robert. "Robert Fulford's Column About The Word Paradigm." Robertfulford.Com, 1999, http://www.robertfulford.com/Paradigm.html.

Irbite, Andra. "The importance of the paradigm shift in the development of the design industry and design education." Proceeding of the International Scientifical Conference May 23th-24th. Vol. 2. 2014.

Kenton, WILL. "Why Paradigm Shifts Matter." Investopedia, 2019, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/paradigm-shift.asp. Accessed 23 Apr 2020.

Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure Of Scientific Revolutions. 3rd ed., University Of Chicago Press, 1996.

Snow, Thea, and Jenni Lloyd. "The Truth Is, Nothing Is True: How Paradigm Shifts Can Drive Social Change." Apolitical, 2018, https://apolitical.co/en/solution_article/paradigm-shift-social-change. Accessed 23 Apr 2020.

Bird, Alexander, "Thomas Kuhn," The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2018/entries/thomas-kuhn/>

Vanner, Robin, and Martha Bicket. "The Role Of Paradigm Analysis In The Development Of Policies For A Resource Efficient Economy." Sustainability, vol 8, no. 7, 2016, p. 645. MDPI AG, doi:10.3390/su8070645.

Zackariasson, Peter, and Timothy L. Wilson. "Paradigm Shifts In The Video Game Industry." Competitiveness Review, vol 20, no. 2, 2010, pp. 139-151. Emerald, doi:10.1108/10595421011029857. Accessed 23 Apr 2020.