The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

Kuhn explores normal science in greater depth. Normal science, he argues, is a type of science that serves as an actualization of a scientific paradigm. Normal science proceeds by attempting to refine, verify, and carefully expand upon the theories articulated by the dominant paradigms in a particular field.

This actualization comes in three forms. Firstly, scientists engaged in normal science seek to verify and measure the data promised by a paradigm with greater and greater accuracy and specificity. To do so, they may construct specialized technological tools. These tools speed up scientific progress in ways that would not normally be enabled had the prevailing paradigm not already inspired confidence in the result. Paradigms declare certain problems to be worthwhile within their respective fields; they give scientists structure and confidence by outlining which problems are available and which are worth pursuing and by suggesting methods to achieve their solutions.

Secondly, those engaged in normal science seek to bring theory closer to reality. Real-life data almost always differs from, or is not fully accounted for by, the theories available to scientists. In the work of normal science, scientists attempt to square their results with the theories available to them.