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|Abstract=The Structure of Scientific Revolutions posited a new, historically grounded way of understanding scientific knowledge. Kuhn spoke of 'scientific paradigms', which are shared constellations of theoretical and metaphysical beliefs, values, methods, and instrumental techniques shared by a scientific discipline. A 'scientific revolution' occurs when one paradigm is replaced with another. Because paradigms are holistic networks of theories, methods, and values, they are 'incommensurable' meaning that the terms and categories of the old paradigm cannot be translated into those of the new. Adoption of a new paradigm thus appears to involve something akin to a gestalt shift.