Final answer:
A paradigm refers to the prevailing theory or understanding in science. During the Scientific Revolution, the shift to new paradigms helped explain phenomena that old theories couldn't, leading to significant changes in scientific thought and methodologies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word paradigm refers to a set of practices that define a scientific discipline at any one period of time. As philosopher Thomas Kuhn explained, a paradigm shift represents a fundamental change in the scientific disciplines when the existing paradigm cannot sufficiently explain new phenomena, leading to the development of new theories and experiments. Hence, option (a) is correct: Paradigm refers to the shared values of a scientific community and helps explain the Scientific Revolution's shift in thinking as old theories are questioned and new concepts emerge to better explain the observed world.