He says this view of scientific progress sees the history of science as an accumulation of various discoveries, development of laws, instruments and inventions and seeing this accumulation as opposed by various myths and theories that inhibit scientific progress . Instead, Kuhn sees science as developing in a more revolutionary fashion . He says that the early development of most sciences is characterized by periods when many theories, explanations and techniques compete . He calls this the achievement of a paradigm . . Much of science depends on the ability to defend that paradigm .
Normal science defines the maturity of a science .
Normal science defines the problems that need to be addressed, it defines the rules and standards, it defines the types of measurements needed . It focuses the attention of scientists on a relatively small number of problems, and it facilitates the solving of those problems . The paradigm defines what questions are legitimate and defines the techniques necessary to solve them . Paradigms provide the puzzles that challenge most scientists . Most scientific progress consists of elaborating paradigms already found and solving the problems defined by that paradigm . .