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Thomas Kuhn divides sciences into two categories: paradigmatic and pre-paradigmatic. His definition of a paradigm, which hinges on this dichotomy and on the mechanisms by which new dominant paradigms emerge, has become influential in discourse on the philosophy of science.
The user, Polyparadigm, studied Kuhn as part of an undergraduate degree in materials science, a science which could reasonably be classified as polyparadigmatic because of its heavy reliance on earlier paradigms (i.e. chemistry, physics, metallurgy, and the various disciplines of engineering) and the willingness of experts in the field to switch deftly between competing paradigms, or to work outside them where appropriate.
The user name was chosen to promote this view of materials science, and to show support for the correspondence principle as a framework for deeper and more general conflict resolution.