Open AccessPhilosophical Elements in Thomas Kuhn's Historiography of Science
Author(s) -
Paul HoyningenHuene
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
theoria
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.2
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 2171-679X
pISSN - 0495-4548
DOI - 10.1387/theoria.6160
Subject(s) - historiography , epistemology , normal science , internalism and externalism , rationality , philosophy , relevance (law) , sort , realism , presentation (obstetrics) , history of science , reading (process) , history , mathematics , political science , law , linguistics , medicine , arithmetic , radiology , archaeology
To begin, the so-called 'selectivity of historical judgment' is discussed. According to it, writing history requires a comparative criterion of historical relevance. This criterion contains philosophical elements. In Kuhn's case, the criterion directs historical research and presentation away from Whiggish historiography by postulating a hermeneutic reading of historical sources. This postulate implies some sort of internalism, some sort of rationality of scientific development, and historical realism. To conclude, some consequences of Kuhn's anti-Whiggism are discussed