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Paradigm Shifts: Understanding the Evolution of Scientific, Philosophical, and Social Thinking
What it is and How a Paradigm is Born
Paradigm. A typical example or pattern of something; a model.
“There is a new paradigm for public art in this country”.
Paradigm comes from Greek, “pattern, example, sample” “exhibit, represent, expose” and from “besides, beyond” and “to show, to point out”.
A paradigm is a set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that define a particular scientific, philosophical, or social outlook.
It provides a framework for understanding and interpreting reality and guides the direction of research, theory, and practice in a particular field.
The birth of a paradigm usually begins with the accumulation of anomalies or problems that cannot be explained by the prevailing paradigm.
These anomalies challenge the assumptions and concepts of the existing paradigm and create a sense of crisis in the field.
Scientists and researchers begin to question the validity of the current paradigm and search for alternative explanations that can account for the anomalies.
