`Thomas Kuhn argued that the history of science is not gradual and cumulative, but rather punctuated by a series of more or less radical paradigm shifts.` How fruitful has the attempt been to apply this approach to the history of economics?

Thomas Kuhn argues that the history of science is not gradual and cumulative , but rather punctuated by a series of more or less radical paradigm shifts 'How fruitful has the attempt been to apply this approach to the history of economics

Science is the art of discovery , discovering how forces and interactions on the planet , solar system and ultimately the universe operate . The functions of the three main branches of science : biology , chemistry and physics , no matter which name we give to them , exist regardless of whether or not we have knowledge

of them or truly know how they work For example , if gravity had never been discovered by Newton , it would still exist . An object catapulted into the air , would still fall to the ground . Added to this , the discoveries in science are perhaps like the discovery process in mining gold . There are long periods in which nothing is found , interspersed with finding large veins and pockets of ore . It is these discoveries that Kuhn regards as paradigm shifts and describes as scientific revolutions , referring to an anomaly occurring in the main fabric of normal scientific practice (Pajares 2007 :1

Conversely , economics is a product of human actions , affected by changes in science and in philosophical and social thought . To this end changes in these schools of thought may affect the way economics is seen and affect certain mechanics used in economic systems . Economics throughout history has seen peaks , troughs and cycles , not as a school of thought or branch of science unto itself , but as an effect of changes in science , technology and socio-politics

Kuhn 's work on paradigms concerning the philosophy of science , deviated from the idea that progression in science could be fully understood by scrutinising scientific events throughout history . This view assumes that innovative and improved evidence will naturally come to the forefront and trigger extensive changes . Kuhn rejected this idea though , instead , offering the alternative of true paradigm shifts that occurred when the social institution of the scientific community could no longer hold on to an older and more emotionally satisfying paradigm (Wenner 1990 :29

As Geoffrey Poitras phrases it , although economic ideas do exert enormous influence ' on society , these ideas are also moulded by the cultural milieu that nurtured them (2003 :1 . There are many interdependencies involved in the success or failure of any given economic system . In addition , the style and theory of each economic system is subject to cultural influences . For instance , Ellen Messing (2004 :1 , explains that it is difficult to name any single founder or founders ' of economics . This contrasts with Descartes often being cited as the father of modern philosophy ' or the origins of modern day science being traced back to the ancient Greek Natural Philosophers ' such as Pythagoras . Messing continues , that the reason for this is because , historically , people have [always] probed how social economic policy might improve the lot of humankind (2004 :1

It has been said that economists do not pay enough attention to the...