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longer calmer periods – which he called “normal science” (1996, p. 10). Since Kuhn
developed the notion of paradigms, the concept has been more broadly defined.
A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a
way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in
an intellectual discipline.
dictionary.reference.com
In science, a paradigm helps scientists to create avenues of inquiry, formulate
questions, select methods with which to examine questions, define areas of relevance
and to establish or create meaning (Kuhn, 1996, p. 10). So a societal paradigm exists at
any given time and in an historical context within which enough of us value laws, rules
and conventions sufficiently for the maintenance of stable social order. But what
happens if the paradigm changes and enough of us cease to value the behavioural
controls established and upheld by society’s institutions? And what might cause a
paradigm change?
Kuhn’s theory and Stage 2 of values-based law
Stage two represents the destabilisation of the
normal social rules and conventions which govern
behaviours. As people value the rules less and
less, the outer rings which were solid at stage one
begin to lose their ability to constrain individuals’
values. This may be in response to a change of
environment, an event or a new world view.
Figure 4. Stage 2 of Valuesbased
law.
Any number of factors may act as a catalyst for the destabilisation of stable social
order. But crucially, it is not the event itself. The destabilisation occurs because of the
altered way we view the world following the event. This paradigm change affects how
we individually and collectively value the societal constraints on our behaviour.
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