T. Kuhn on Interpretation and Understanding

Abstract

The author of the article emphasizes that, although before Kuhn, philosophers talked about theories, fundamental principles, or laws, about research methods, all these concepts expressed only one side of science. The concept of “paradigm”, despite its natural vagueness, very successfully unites all these aspects: a paradigm is a set of theories, laws, methods, and research models recognized by the scientific community at a certain period. The article considers the question of how T. Kuhn interpreted in­terpretation and understanding in the natural and human sciences. It is shown that Kuhn identified the interpretation of sensory impressions though natural language with the interpretation of human behavior, and therefore did not see the fundamental difference between the natural sciences and the humanities. From his point of view, the astronomer interprets the objects he observes in exactly the same way as the hu­manist interprets text or human behavior. However, the interpretation of human be­havior is ascribing to the observed actions of a persona certain intention – motive, goal, motivation. We do not ascribe any intentions to natural objects, and this is fun­damental difference between the natural sciences and humanities. Kuhn does not see this difference, since he identifies the “natural interpretation”of sensory impressions through everyday language with the theoretical interpretation of observable objects through myth, religion, scientific theory.