Case Studies in Kuhnian Science

Work in geology from when Wegener proposed his drifting continents idea until the proposal and acceptance of the new theory of plate tectonics is listed followed by the developments in biology from work on the cell nucleus during division, to the work of Miescher on the chemistry of nuclein and studies of Mendelian genetics, until DNA rather than protein was accepted as the genetic material. These histories are interpreted in Kuhnian terms, concluding that for both disciplines there was a Kuhnian revolution. For both fields, two papers were required for the revolution. The first presented the new paradigm but was not readily accepted. The second, some 5-8 years later, built on the first and was immediately accepted precipitating the paradigm change. Using citations and reference networks for the plate tectonics revolution, some empirical measures are studied to identify scientific revolutions as they are occurring or shortly after they have occurred. Networks were insufficient to detect scientific revolutions, but may assist in detecting key papers that may prove to be revolutionary when combined with historical information about the development of the discipline.