Thomas Kuhn Vs Jacques Derrida Essay Example for Free

Thomas Kuhn Vs Jacques Derrida Essay Thomas Samuel Kuhn (1922-1996) name is remembered for his enduring work in the philosophy of Science. Born on 18th July 1922, in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, his thoughts on the History of Science became most influential doctrine for the scientists. In his most famous book â€Å"The Structure of Scientific Revolutions†, Kuhn brought about the main essence of Scientific Revolutions through the ages. As a graduate student in theoretical physics at Harvard, he conceptualized the evolution of scientific thoughts and studies as periodic revolutions since ages, which he named as â€Å"paradigm shifts†. (Kuhn 1996) Kuhn says that, â€Å"Science is not a steady, cumulative acquisition of knowledge. Instead, science is â€Å"a series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions.† (Thomas Kuhn, Online Edition) This implies that aspiring Scientists tend to follow the accepted norms and patterns and act and are trained within these â€Å"Received Beliefs† (Kuhn 1996) but these accepted beliefs tend to undergo through transitional phases. One set of belief takes the place of another set of belief and then scientists come forward with their own assumptions through these set of beliefs. This trend takes the form of revolution, which carries the world forward periodically. In other words, we can see the revolution in the scientific world every now and then. Kuhn’s theory is all about the sociological presumptions of science as seen or perceived by humans. This Paradigm shift is not about just the theories but the perceived beliefs or thought processes that go along with the changes in theory. This paradigm shift or scientific discoveries make its appearance in three phases. The first one is in the pre-scientific phase, whereby scientists have never arrived on any one consensus on any propounded theory. There have been criticism and contradictions resulting in several contrary and incomplete theories, and this leads to second phase which is Normal Science and scientists undergoing discoveries in this phase set their own assumptions right by their own several theories which they call as paradigms and explain their discovery within that paradigm in detail. But here too criticism can crop up and so scientists now give space to their experiments and explain their theory or Paradigm with the help of their experimental evidence. And again if some one comes out with the whole new definition of the theory then new stage of beliefs start. In all the arena of the scientific world, when new takes the place of old bestowing among the aspiring scientist’s new waves of thoughts, this according to Kuhn is paradigm shift. In these complexities of the world we find our-self facing number of paradoxes and complexities of life. On one hand, scientific philosophy has given us new lease of life on other hand philosophers like Jacques Derrida shows us the mirror of the sociological aspects of our daily principles and experiences that we face. Jacques Derrida argues that all human beings have to pass through different experiences according to the time. In other words, time is a big factor for the life experiences that human beings have to face. The experiences that human beings face arise in present time only, which do not have any link to the past. These experiences are a type of events, which are totally different from the experiences felt in the past. But, these experiences do make us remember our past and enable us to make anticipation about the future. And this remembrance about the past due to our experiences in the present and our anticipation for our future take place in continuity and is repeated. In other words whatever sequence of events have taken place now though do not have any connection in the past but there are certain cords or threads that have shades in our past that make our present experiences link to our past. Jacques Derrida is a French philosopher of today who conceptualized the school of deconstruction with a vision that has been applied to literature and linguistic writing and is a historical continuous cultural process of writing leaving the old conventional paradigm and moving into new. Both the Jacques Derrida and Kuhn are contemporary philosophers, two sides of same coin. Both are the philosophers of genre capturing the essence of what makes the true meaning of our lives, and what is basic truth about life. Kuhn, by delving into the history of science gives us the theory of our existence. He believes that whatever in our life if not scientifically proved, then it has no existence and no value. We are caught in the web of the accepted paradigms which keep on changing periodically but whose roots are same. One paradigm gives the way to another paradigm, scientifically yet true and scientists make the discovery on the set paradigm. In Kuhn own words, â€Å"the historian of science may be tempted to exclaim that when paradigms change, the world itself changes with them. Led by a new paradigm, scientists adopt new instruments and look in new places. Even more important, during revolutions scientists see new and different things when looking with familiar instruments in places they have looked before. It is rather as if the professional community had been suddenly transported to another planet where familiar objects are seen in a different light and are joined by unfamiliar ones as well†. (Kuhn 1996) On the other hand, Jacques Derrida is a philosopher of different mood and artistic soul. He too says old paves the wave for new but roots of the new still lies in the old. There are some traces of old in new. According to Helen Cixus, he belongs to â€Å"The Incorruptible† (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2006), the whole new generation of writers whose writings will always remain fresh and enticing for the readers. No other thinker in last 100 years has astounded and had an impact on philosophers, theologians, literary and art critics, psychologists, writers and artists than Jacques Derrida and it is also true about him that no other thinker than him has been greatly misunderstood. Kuhn’s vision was scientific and how science has constructed and deconstructed the world around us since centuries and Jacques Derrida interpreted writers, philosophers and sociologists to bring out the problem of current sociological interests. He gave us entirely new and hidden interpretations of writers from Plato to Joyce. He delves on the fact that from every structure like any literary, psychological, social, economic, political or religious device, which captures within our soul, our experiences of life makes us face the world through the process of â€Å"Exclusion.†(Direk Lawlor 2002) And it is absolutely sure that in the process of newly found creation, there is always something, which is left out. There is some missing cord or missing link, which we never able to make out but they make their appearance felt. Kuhn and Jacques Derrida were philosophers of different dimensions but gave us same reflection of life. Kuhn analyzed the works of scientists and Derrida analyzed the works for writers. He breathes and mourns through the eyes and souls of different writers whereas Kuhn breathes through the heart and soul of scientists and their discoveries that are giving our lives new directions. Derrida writes through the works of other writers that is his voice is a voice of other writers whereas Kuhn reflects the voice of scientific revolution through the ages. Reference List Direk Z. Lawlor L. 2002. Jacques Derrida: Critical Assessments of Leading. Published by Routledge. Kuhn, T. (1996). The structure of scientific revolutions (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Butler J. 2004. Jacques Derrida. Retrieved on January 12, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.lrb.co.uk/v26/n21/butl02_.html Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2006. Jacques Derrida. Retrieved on January 12, 2008 from W.W.W: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/derrida/#Inc Thomas Kuhn. Online Edition. Retrieved on January 12, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/Kuhnsnap.html