what is a paradigm?

a model to represent something, a way of thinking.

Exmple - that a husband and wife would automatically live in the same house after they get married is a current western paradigm. Many would think it odd if they bought a duplex home and lived in seperate halfs, yet that might be a better idea.

ooh i didnt know that b4 ....... well its 1st time hearing the word ........
thenx wondy for the explaination..........:D

very interesting word.... a good example indeed ...

I would tell you because I study sociology but I cant be bothered to get out my file with my notes in LOL.

Thanks Wanderer :)
that was udeful.

do you have another example?
thanks :)

most often used in science... for instance the old paradigm of physics was Newton's mechanistic view... but in this century there has been what's called a "paradigm shift" - we've accepted the new paradigm (world view) as Quantum Mechanics...

Another example... before Copernicus, the paradigm of the cosmos was that Earth was the center of the universe. The new paradigm is the earth rotates around the sun....

In sociology, we are shifting from and industrial manufacturing society to one that is driven by information service-based economy.

that sort of thing :)

The concept of a paradigm shift as agent for revolutionary social/scientific change was defined by Thomas Kuhn in 1962 in his book "The Structure of Scientific Revolution"... see http://www.scicom.lth.se/fmet/kuhn.html for more information...

Thanks Alot Moon Child :)

thanx wandy and moony