Paradigm Shift: Reflective Analysis and Personal Application

This essay provides a reflective analysis of the concept of paradigm shift, as introduced by Thomas Kuhn. It begins by defining paradigm shift as a fundamental change in perspective or thinking, and traces its origins to Kuhn's work on scientific revolutions. The essay outlines Kuhn's cycle, which describes the progression from pre-science to normal science, model drift, model revolution, and paradigm change. It emphasizes how new knowledge leads to the introduction of new ways of thought and how this process can be applied to personal life. The essay also references the work of Stephen Covey and his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". The essay concludes by explaining how individuals can apply the concept of paradigm shift in their own lives by gaining new knowledge and ideas, which can lead to questioning preconceived notions and inducing change. The essay also mentions several references related to the topic.

Paradigm Shift
A Reflective Analysis

What is Paradigm Shift?
Paradigm Shift refers to the change in the perspective or in the
system of thinking. This shift can be related to anything, it can be
change in relationship, in studies, in someone’s marriage, at home, or
even just in the changes in the perception or in the way of looking at the
world (Covey, 2004).

Origin
• The American physicist and philosopher, Thomas Kuhn, had first introduced the
concept of Paradigm Shift.
• The concept reflects upon A fundamental change.
• The concept is characterised by scientific revolution.
• It provides the scientists with the ability to focus on the micro ideas of a broader
concept.
• The basic idea of the concept as proposed by Kuhn was that, the idea of Paradigm
Shift is basically, looking at the scientific approaches and concepts from a keen and
micro attitude (Bogner, Mahoney & Thomas, 2004).

The Kuhn Cycle:
• Kuhn had described the idea as a change model, that is referred as the
Kuhn Cycle, which entails,
• He negated the belief that, science to be a steady progression, by
accumulating new ideas and conceptions.
• Instead, he suggested that, the scientific understanding was advanced by
revolutionary ideas and inventions.
• He stated, that these revolutionary inventions came about with the
explosion of knowledge.
• He opined that new knowledge had paved the way for introduction of
new ways of thought (Gabel & Peters, 2004).

The Kuhn Cycle: Steps
• Pre- science: A field with no concepts or paradigms.
• Normal science: A field where a science- based model is developed, that is the initiation of a
paradigm.
• Model drift: The pre-conceived model is attached with new paradigms, and concepts and new
knowledge. Also, an accumulation of anomalies are made that are unable to be explained by
the previous model.
• Model revolution: New candidates have applied to explain and explore the added knowledge
and ideas. Thus, a new and revolutionised model is created that is much different than the
older one.
• Paradigm change: The old model is now synthesized within the new model and this new
model now becomes the Normal science.
Thus, a paradigm shift occurs, when the preconceived notions are replaced with the
newly conceived ideas (Franken & Verbart, 1998).

The Kuhn Cycle: Steps
Kuhn is of the opinion, that the paradigm shift is a learning process. The
more knowledge and ideas are gained, the more the model gets
revamped and revolutionised.

Application in personal life:
In personal life, the paradigm shift occurs when an individual
gains new knowledge and ideas, which changes or makes the person
question the preconceived notions and ideas, and entail to induce a
change upon the same.

Reference:
Gabel, S., & Peters, S. (2004). Presage of a paradigm shift? Beyond the social model
of disability toward resistance theories of disability. Disability & Society, 19(6), 585-
600.
Bogner, W. C., Mahoney, J. T., & Thomas, H. (1998). PARADIGM SHIFT: IME
PARALLEL ORIGIN, EVOLUTION, AND. Advances in Strategic Management, 15,
63-102.
Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in
personal change. Simon and Schuster.
Frenken, K., & Verbart, O. (1998). Simulating paradigm shifts using a lock-in model.
In Computer simulations in science and technology studies (pp. 117-127). Springer,
Berlin, Heidelberg.