Beyond Objectivism and Relativism: Kuhn’s Deconstruction of the Scientific Method as a Roadmap to Social Epistemology

Abstract

The idea that truth, knowledge and rational certainty are objective is fundamental to traditional epistemology. Objectivism is understood as universal standards that apply to all phenomenon irrespective of time and space and the scientific method of rational inquiry is enthroned by positivists as the guarantor of objectivity. Kuhn disagrees with this idea in his detailed analysis of how scientific paradigms are developed. The significantly shifted focus to the social dimensions of knowledge, which current discussions within social and collective epistemology is exploring to enrich our process of knowledge practice. Between traditional foundational epistemology and social epistemology, our understanding of what knowledge is has witnessed an evolution, which this paper presents as a welcome attitude to epistemic inquiry.