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Work #667 · Late

The Essential Tension

Thomas S. Kuhn
1977 · English
History and philosophy of science essays · Post-positivist history and philosophy of science

Kuhn's 1977 collection — essential tension between tradition-bound normal science and revolutionary innovation

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute The Essential Tension (Late)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

The Essential Tension

The historical-revolutionary time of scientific development.

Space

The Essential Tension

The social-paradigmatic scientific space.

Matter

The Essential Tension

The phenomena variously theorized.

Observer

The Essential Tension

The scientist within / breaking from paradigms.

Energy

The Essential Tension

Energies of tradition vs. revolution in science.

Information

The Essential Tension

Mature Kuhnian philosophy-of-science framework.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

The Essential Tension

The Essential Tension refined Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions.