Kuhn vs Popper - About James H. Collier

processes of governance and wealth production.This list is interesting because, despite their overlappingtheoretical interests, these philosophersvaried considerably across the ideologicalspectrum. Specifically, they did not all stand on thepolitical left, yet they felt compelled to speak outagainst the deformation of science in their times.Given the success of Structure, Kuhn was betterpositioned than his contemporaries to make anintervention that would have given some focus andclarity to the inchoate critiques of science in societyat large. Of course, several reasons may be offeredfor Kuhn’s silence. Most of these reasons do notspeak well to his courage, his concern, his clarity ofmind or his sense of the times. But in the end, thereremains the original objection to negative responsibilitythat would cast Kuhn’s inaction in a morefavourable light: the integrity of his life-project wasmore important than the difference his criticalintervention would have made. Indeed, Kuhnshould perhaps, then, be congratulated for notallowing his vision to be clouded by quotidianevents, which could have dissipated his efforts.I close with two comments on this interpretationof Kuhn’s inaction. First, as in the case of Heidegger,attempts to exonerate Kuhn become increasingly214