Many philosophers have reflected on paradigms.
A paradigm is an example or something that is taken as a model . That is the use given to the term - which derives from the Greek paradeigma - in everyday language. For example: "Valentino's work is a paradigm for many young designers."
In principle, the notion was used at a grammatical level (to define its use in a certain context) and in rhetoric (to mention a parable or fable). Starting in the 1960s, the scope of the concept expanded and paradigm began to be a common word in scientific vocabulary and in epistemological expressions when it became necessary to talk about patterns .
Before moving forward with the exposition of the meaning and reviewing various meanings that the idea has, we must determine the etymological origin of the concept. Specifically, it is found in the Latin word paradigm , although this in turn comes from Greek. More precisely, it comes from παράδειϒμα, which is formed from the union of the prefix para- , which means "together" , and the word deigma which is translated as " example " or "model" .
Paradigm according to different philosophers
One of the first figures in history to address the concept at hand was the great Greek philosopher Plato , who made his own definition of what he considered a paradigm to be. In this sense, the aforementioned thinker stated that this word came to determine what the ideas or types of example of a thing in question are.
The American Thomas Kuhn , an expert in philosophy and a prominent figure in the world of science, was responsible for renewing the theoretical definition of this term to give it a meaning more in line with current times, by adapting it to describe the series of practices that trace the guidelines of a scientific discipline over a certain period of time.
In this way, a scientific paradigm establishes what must be observed; the kind of questions that have to be developed to obtain answers about the purpose pursued; and what structure these questions should have. It also sets guidelines that indicate the path of interpretation for the results obtained from scientific research .
Causality integrates the paradigm of various scientific disciplines.
Changes over time
When a paradigm can no longer satisfy the requirements of a science (for example, in the face of new findings that invalidate previous knowledge ), it is succeeded by another.
It is said that a paradigm shift is something dramatic for science, since science always seems to enjoy stability. The great innovation proposed by Kuhn when working with paradigms was the consideration of science as a human product susceptible to transformation. According to this philosopher, scientific developments should always be analyzed with a historical perspective.
Paradigm Types
The types of paradigm are determined according to their field of application and their scope. A research paradigm , for example, defines the characteristics of an object of study, the way of approaching problems and the criteria for interpreting the results.
If we talk about a methodological paradigm , the notion specifically refers to the chosen methodology. A theoretical paradigm , meanwhile, is oriented to the theories that are taken as a basis or support. The epistemological paradigm and the ontological paradigm are other common classifications.
Empiricism , constructivism , determinism , structuralism , functionalism , objectivism, positivism , relativism , utilitarianism and the rest of the philosophical doctrines and currents have specific paradigms for their development.
Gender equality is part of the feminism paradigm.
A worldview
In the social sciences , the paradigm is related to the concept of worldview .
The term is used to mention all those experiences, beliefs, experiences and values that impact and condition the way in which a person sees reality and acts based on it. This means that a paradigm is also the way in which the world is understood.
Therefore, the paradigm or worldview of a person or a group is their way of interpreting what is real . From this paradigm, the conceptualizations that are applied in everyday life are defined.
It cannot be omitted to mention that paradigms are linked to their time . The perception and assessment of the environment depend on the historical context and are not isolated.
The notion of paradigm beyond science
It is also necessary to make clear that paradigm is a term that we can use in other fields. In this sense, it is widely used in the field of linguistics , where it is used to refer to a whole set of words that, within the same context , can be used interchangeably.
Thus, if we had the expression "The ______ was blind" , we could complete it by using in that gap a series of nouns such as "man" , "child" , "old man" , "cat" or "bird" , among many others.