The concept of paradigm in the Archival Science as an epistemological problem

Abstract

It is introduced a discussion about the scientificity of the Archival Science from the Kuhn perspective. It is presented a historical review of the discipline, mentioning its most important theoretical achievements. It is analysed the different attempts that were proposed by some authors in order to endow epistemological fundaments the area. The stances that have been studied are those that propose an approach from the classical perspective of Thomas Kuhn. It is observed, in the literature, the use of the concept “paradigm” as model of analysis for the epistemological fundamentation of the discipline. The problems arising from its introduction are analysed, noting that in its implementation incurs a moving of the levels of epistemic analysis. As a consequence, is really difficult to elucidate the scientificity pretentions of the Archival Science. It is presented, as the first question, the possibility of articulate the historical development of the Archival Science with the existence of “paradigms”; and in a second instance it is reflects on if the “paradigms”, that were identify in the literature, can be considerate as real paradigms, or if they are only theories that have acquired some organization grade. It is claimed that the scientificity and the discipline maturity is determinate by the assumption of a successful problem-solving tradition, since the successful attempts end up strengthening the field of research.