Thomas Kuhn and the Science Wars by Ziauddin Sardar

Thomas Kuhn and the Science Wars by Ziauddin Sardar

Not so long ago, we believed that science was a neutral, value-free quest for Truth. With "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" (1962), Thomas Kuhn opened science to scrutiny as a "social" activity. He reduced science to puzzle-solving within belief systems, suggesting that "normal" science was nothing more than dogmatic stability punctuated by occasional revolutions. Sociologists of science went even further, arguing that scientists just "negotiate" their agreements rather than being constrained by mythical "facts". About a decade ago, the "Science Wars" began with counter-attacks from scientists on the sociologists. "Thomas Kuhn and the Science Wars" shows how science has become a major contested cultural symbol, and suggests that we need a postmodern synthesis in which the old debates are transcended. Science is not about demonstrations by experts, but dialogue among stakeholders. This is the new face of science, one which gives Kuhn's seminal insights new life.

Ziauddin Sardar is a writer and Visiting Professor of Postcolonial Studies at the City University, London. His most recent books are Introducing Chaos and Introducing Mathematics, both published by Icon/Totem. He writes a science column for the New Statesman.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781840461367
ISBN 10	1840461365
Title	Thomas Kuhn and the Science Wars
Author	Ziauddin Sardar
Series	Postmodern Encounters
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Icon Books
Year published	2000-05-01
Number of pages	80
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.