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Assignment Goals

From the opening of the entry on Thomas Kuhn in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: "Thomas Samuel Kuhn (1922-1996) became one of the most influential philosophers of science of the twentieth century, perhaps the most influential — his The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is one of the most cited academic books of all time." Assuming great citation entails great influence (that assumption invites scrutiny), a rhetorically-minded scholar might ask the following questions (among others): "How might one rhetorically explain the vast, lasting influence of a monograph published in the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science series edited by two war horses of the Vienna Circle, Otto Neurath and Rudolf Carnap?" "Was Kuhn a 'master rhetor'?" What did scholars in English Studies, and countless other disciplines, find so intriguing about Structure?

The goals of this collaborative assignment are to:

• Analyze the rhetoric of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions;
• Explore the factors shaping the reception, diffusion and citation of Structure;
• Investigate the disciplinary and rhetorical influences of Structure on the conduct of contemporary academic work.

Overview

The focus of this assignment is the rhetoric in, and about, Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. During the semester, each of you will contribute an entry to a larger collaborative piece on the wiki. The general model for the organization and style of the piece is a Wikipedia entry — the difference will be our attention to Structure's rhetoric.

Approach

We will read The Structure of Scientific Revolutions as a class through mid-February. As we read and discuss the book, I want you to begin thinking about what you might want to analyze in, and about, the text. Let me offer some thought questions to help spark your interest:

• How is Structure rhetorical?
• Taking Structure as a rhetorical artifact, how might rhetorical criticism (an orientation of your choosing) provide an analysis and explanation of Structure's impact?
• What are Structure's intellectual and institutional origins? Who and what are the work's predecessors? How might the book's intellectual and institutional lineage explain its rhetoric?
• Is Thomas Kuhn a master rhetor? What rhetorical choices does Kuhn make? What do the three editions of the book suggest about Kuhn's ideas regarding audience and application?
• How was Kuhn received over time? Who reviews Structure and for what publications? What do you see in the rhetoric of these reviews? What is Kuhn's place in the reception of his own ideas? Who, or what, is responsible for Kuhn's wide reception?
• What is happening in contemporary history as Kuhn writes the book and as the book is diffused? Do contemporary events shape Kuhn's rhetoric? How? What is Kuhn's own view of history? How might this view manifest in the rhetoric of Structure?
• When does Structure appear in English Studies? In STS? Who promotes Structure? Why? What rhetoric do they employ?
• What is Structure's rhetorical affect on English Studies? On pedagogy? On other fields in which you might be interested?
• What is Structure's rhetorical affect on (an aspect of) popular culture?

The questions and methodological avenues you can take to explore Structure's rhetoric are endless. Initially, then, I want you to consider, as we read the book in class, what aspects of Structure's rhetoric you will analyze.

By February 26, I want you to send me a brief e-mail that outlines how you will proceed. Ultimately, each of you will contribute 1,500-2000 words to the overall piece. On receiving your e-mails, I will develop a structure and approach to the project.

I would like your contribution to this assignment to come in three stages on March 26, April 23 and May 9.

Stage One:
Depending on your writing process, and our collective approach to the project, I would like you to post whatever you have developed by March 26. The posting can take the form of notes, an outline, a working draft, an annotated bibliography, whatever your process lends in performing and composing research.

Stage Two:
On April 23, please post a full, working draft of your entry to the wiki. Please remember that the wiki is an interactive medium. Please provide links to sources. Feel free to embed any appropriate media.

Stage Three:
After entries are posted, members of the class will take responsibility for editing and crafting the entries into a coherent piece. The editing process will take place from April 23 until the time for the exam on May 9.