The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

By: Thomas S. Kuhn

Narrated by: Dennis Holland

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

A good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, and we forget how provocative and challenging its ideas once were - and still are. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is that kind of book. When it was first published in 1962, it was a landmark event in the history and philosophy of science. Fifty years later, it still has many lessons to teach.

With The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don't arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation but that the revolutions in science, those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas, occur outside of "normal science", as he called it. Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age.

Note: This new edition of Kuhn's essential work in the history of science includes an insightful introduction by Ian Hacking, which clarifies terms popularized by Kuhn, including paradigm and incommensurability, and applies Kuhn's ideas to the science of today.

©1996 The University of Chicago (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A landmark in intellectual history which has attracted attention far beyond its own immediate field." ( Science)

"Perhaps the best explanation of [the] process of discovery." ( New York Times Book Review)

Philosophy and history of science

Kuhn's work is the classic text on the philosophy and history of science. No contemporary education in the sciences is complete without reading this.

Overly Long

I really felt this was overly long and should have been edited down by about half. It was hard to stay engaged, and I was questioning whether it was the quality of the reader, or the writing. This is unfortunate, as this is an influential book, and I think Kuhn's claims are very compelling.

Lucid performance of a remarkable book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is a required read for anyone interested in the history and philosophy of science. Dennis Holland's excellent articulation makes this edition of SSR a great addition to your audio book library.

a classic about scientific thinking

and highly worth listening to.
certainly worthwhile to listen more than one time. Kuhn's concept is one of the basics of modern time scientific approaches.

A new paradigm in thinking

This monumental essay by Thomas Kuhn is the book that introduced us to the concept of paradigm shifts. Kuhn's writing and logic can be challenging. His sentences are not short and simple. However, the reader does a masterful job of reading, and he helps the content come through. I bought this to listen to while I followed along in the printed book. I read it years ago, but never understood it like I do now. This is a superbly read book about a difficult concept -- and worth every minute and Excedrin.

A Classic.

This is a must read for anyone interested in science, and in particular, the philosophy of science. This book is so well regarded that there is little I can say to add. Also, the reader was excellent. I would also suggest reading/listening to this before other works on the philosophy of science, as they will refer to this work often, and you are better off having it under your belt before investigating other works.

classic

Mandatory reading for all scientists who want to understand the context of their chosen career.

Discovery filtered through paradigms

We filter discovery through paradigms. The recognized patterns of our world are its structure. We Observe all from this perspective.
Then, we break the pattern. The model grows, expands encompassing multiple patterns. Add a thousand multi-syllabic adjectives and you have a book. An important work.

This a history of events, events of scientific endeavors. All the same Where else will you encounter Aristarchus of Samos and phlogiston in a paragraph ?

Un fascinante manera de ver la evolución de la ciencia y tecnología.

Me gusta la capacidad del autor de explicar las etapas de una evolución cientifica: ciencia normal, crisis y finalmente revolución.

Great book but a hard listen.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions to be better than the print version?

Probably not. I found the audio jam packed with thought provoking and new ideas. I tend to listen to audios on my way to work and this was definitely something I need to sit down, study and carefully read each paragraph.

Were the concepts of this book easy to follow, or were they too technical?

They were complicated concepts that require careful consideration.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. Spaced out between thoughts.