Mizrahi, Moti (2025) Kuhnian History of Science and the “Great Man” of Science Model. [Preprint]

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Abstract

I argue that forays into history of science in Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962/1996) are by and large instances of “Great Man” history of science. “Great Man” history is the idea that history is the biography of great men. The “Great Man” of science model not only excludes women and people of color from science but also suggests that only special, exceptional people can succeed in science. If this is correct, then Kuhn (1962/1996) fails to usher in a “historiographic revolution in the study of science” or a “new historiography” (Kuhn 1962/1996, 3), as the book purports to do. Instead, it merely perpetuates the defunct historiography of the “Great Man” of science.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Mizrahi, Moti motimizra@gmail.com
Keywords:	Digital Philosophy of Science, Great Man history, Great Man of science model, Historiography, Thomas Kuhn
Subjects:	General Issues > History of Science Case Studies General Issues > Philosophers of Science General Issues > Theory Change
Depositing User:	Dr. Moti Mizrahi
Date Deposited:	21 Feb 2025 15:13
Last Modified:	21 Feb 2025 15:13
Item ID:	24786
Subjects:	General Issues > History of Science Case Studies General Issues > Philosophers of Science General Issues > Theory Change
Date:	21 February 2025
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/24786

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