On the very idea of a system dynamics model of Kuhnian science

Validation strategies for models of theories have received scant attention in the system dynamics literature. Yet if system dynamics is to be an effective tool for evaluating the dynamic consistency of theoretical systems, such strategies will need to be developed. This article illustrates how such validation might take place by analyzing an already published model of Thomas S. Kuhn’s theory of scientific revolutions. The results indicate that the model, while capturing many important aspects of Kuhnian science, distorts certain fundamental features of the theory, in particular the process of paradigm change. The article concludes by discussing some of the problems associated with incorporating truly Kuhnian paradigm change into any dynamics model.