paradigm shift

[ par-uh-dahym shift ]

noun

1. a dramatic change in the paradigm of a scientific community, or a change from one scientific paradigm to another.
2. a significant change in the paradigm of any discipline or group:

   Putting skilled, tenured teachers in failing schools would cause a paradigm shift in teaching and education.

paradigm shift

noun

1. a radical change in underlying beliefs or theory

Word History and Origins

Origin of paradigm shift¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Word History and Origins

Origin of paradigm shift¹

C20: coined by T.S. Kuhn (1922–96), US philosopher of science

Example Sentences

The paradigm shift is opening up real advertising innovation.

From Digiday

The essential paradigm shift in the last few decades has been that cancer really isn’t a small number of entities.

From Freakonomics

Avoiding this nightmare scenario will require a paradigm shift.

From MIT Technology Review

To say “it’s hard for medicine to take on a paradigm shift” — that is an understatement.

From Freakonomics

It’s the culmination of individual actions that may ultimately lead to a major paradigm shift.

From Quartz

But we offer something else in a return, a paradigm shift that comes from people who have been awakened.

From The Daily Beast

Herein lies the paradigm shift to a just and sustainable peace and an integration of Israel into the region.

From The Daily Beast

Companies are beginning to take this paradigm shift to heart.

From The Daily Beast

The time for paradigm shift is here, and the rogue general can be its sponsor.

From The Daily Beast

In India, the debate between capitalist globalization and self-reliance required a huge paradigm shift.

From The Daily Beast

This perspective was an essential paradigm shift for nursing knowledge, but essential for study of the caring phenomena.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Paradigm Shift

What is a paradigm shift?

A paradigm shift is change, or shift, in the way a commonly shared framework or set of understandings (paradigm) is changed or exchanged for another, typically in response to new observations or understandings of reality.

More specifically, a paradigm shift is a change in a methodology or framework in a scientific community.

This concept is credited to Thomas Kuhn, a science philosopher, who detailed the idea and its implications in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions in 1962. In the text, he gives as an example of a paradigm shift as the change from the idea that the Earth is at the center of the solar system to the idea that the sun is at the center. When a paradigm shift occurs, we have to arrange or adopt a new model of understanding.

Example: The rapid growth of the internet prompted a paradigm shift in how political campaigns did outreach and messaged to voters.

Where does paradigm shift come from?

The first records of the term paradigm shift come from around the 1960s. Coined by US philosopher Thomas Kuhn in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962), a paradigm shift is “a dramatic change (shift) in the framework (paradigm) of a scientific community.”

Did you know … ?

What are some words that share a root or word element with paradigm shift?

• paradigm
• paradigmatic
• shift
• shiftless

What are some words that often get used in discussing paradigm shift?

• framework
• science
• assumption
• perspective
• methodology
• understanding

How is paradigm shift used in real life?

Paradigm shift is used to describe drastic changes in a new methodology, approach, or framework, especially in the sciences.

Rewilding initiatives emerging across Europe are leading to a paradigm shift. #Rewilding is more than bringing back species. It’s a more holistic approach, where people are finding ways to live with wildlife and are building economies around it #mustreadhttps://t.co/YplP8YSQYx

— Rewilding Europe (@RewildingEurope) October 22, 2020

We are on the verge of a total revolution. The New World is not just the birth of a new civilization. Or a paradigm shift. Which in itself is already remarkable. It’s about being done with the matrix. Once and for all. And freeing your soul from captivity. Do not settle for less.

— Amjad Abedi (@AmjadAbedi) October 20, 2022

A rare opportunity for a paradigm shift on how you think about research. Today, it is more important than ever to learn about health services and/or implementation science. Thankful for @CoHSTAR_PT and the vision of @ResnikLinda
for giving me the opportunity. Consider applying https://t.co/19UQp7qNsZ

— Bara Alsalaheen (@BaraAlsalaheen) October 30, 2020

 

Try using paradigm shift!

True or False?

A paradigm shift is a permanent framework, never to be changed.