How does it happen that a properly endowed natural scientist comes to concern himself with epistemology? Is there no more valuable work in his specialty? I hear many of my colleagues saying, and I sense it from many more, that they feel this way. I cannot share this sentiment. When I think about the ablest students whom I have encountered in my teaching, that is, those who distinguish themselves by their independence of judgment and not merely their quick-wittedness, I can affirm that they had a vigorous interest in epistemology. They happily began discussions about the goals and methods of science, and they showed unequivocally, through their tenacity in defending their views, that the subject seemed important to them. Indeed, one should not be surprised at this. Albert Einstein
About This Quote

In this statement, Thomas Kuhn is lamenting the fact that the brightest minds of his time were not interested in philosophy. He sees science as a noble pursuit, and yet he does not see the value in studying all things philosophical. He feels that his peers are wasting their time by studying a subject that is not relevant to their profession. Kuhn was not only a scientist but also a philosopher, and his views about science could be different from those of other scientists.

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