The A Priori Method in the Social Sciences: A Multidisciplinary Approach

✍ Scribed by Jean-Sylvestre Bergé (editor)

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2023
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 192
• Edition: 1st ed. 2023
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This edited volume takes a multidisciplinary look at the philosophical concept of a priori. Placing social sciences at the heart of the discussion, this book establishes a dialogue between various disciplines and the different postulates, presuppositions, prejudices, paradigms, beliefs, commonplaces, biases or emotions that forge their theoretical and practical constructs.

The book is divided into three parts. Chapters in Part I lay the foundations of a new antecedent approach that revisits the classical approach to a priori and its relationships with law and philosophy. Chapters in Part II extend the analysis to economics and management, on such key topics as blockchain technology, labor, health insurance and innovation. Finally, chapters in Part III turn to anthropology and sociology, to reconsider the core methods of these different disciplines and to nourish reflection on the basis of new working hypotheses.

✦ Table of Contents

Introduction
Contents
About the Contributors
Part I: Law, Philosophy
Toward a New Antecedent Legal Method
Introduction
The Theorization of A Priori in the Philosophy of Science: An Epistemological Impasse for the Law
Turn the Tables and Make the “Antecedent” Method an Epistemological Opportunity for the Law
Methodology: Inventing a Three-Step Antecedent Approach
Testing the Method on Subjects Related to Major Societal Challenges
References
The Cultural Dimension of Law
Introduction
Culture’s Dominion Over Law
Law as Specific Culture
Major Idiosyncrasies of Law
The Importance and Value of Law
Relationships Between Law and Morality
Legal Science and Legal Teaching
Legal Reasoning
Jurists and Professors
The Connection Between Law and State
Entitlement and Rights
The Universalism of Law
References
Is Legal Knowledge a Knowledge of Object?
Introduction
The Effort of Conceptualization
The Effort of Comprehension
Scientific Description
Dogmatic Description
Described Reality
Theories
Explanations
References
Antecedent and Ontology: In Search of the Smallest Possible A Priori
For a Minimal Ontology of Law
Limitations of the Definitions of Law
Ontology and Definition of Law
Method
Conditions for Law to Be Possible
The Legal Statement
Repeatability of Statements
Minimum Ontology: Statements and Concepts
Scope of the Minimal Ontology
Conclusion
References
The Private/Public Divide Among the Principles of World-Building: Insights from Godelier, Fortes, and Arendt
Introduction
Background: Fortes on Descent and Godelier’s Two Principles
Godelier on the Family/Society Divide and Sexual Prohibitions
Merger and Counter-membership
A Digression on New Families
The Public Aspect of the Family: Fortes on the Domestic and “Politico-Jural” Domains
Fortes on the Family as a Corporate Body
Fortes on Personhood as Transmitted Position (“Office”) in a Corporate Body
Fortes on the Politico-Jural and Domestic Domains
Arendt on Principles of World-Building and the Domestic/Public Divide
Conclusion
References
The A Priori: A Structure of an Ascendant Imaginary
Introduction
The A Priori Representative Structure: The Primary Images
An Imaginary
A Structure
The A Priori Prescriptive Structure: The Ascendant Images
The A Priori Image of Sauroctonia (Dragonslayer)
The A Priori Image of the Banker
Conclusion
References
Are Numbers A Priori Like any Other?
Introduction
Transcendentalism of Numbers
Psychologism of Numbers
Logicism of Numbers
Against Psychologism
Against Logicism
The A Priori Synthetic Judgment in the Social Choice
Geometrizing the Legal Judgment
The A Posteriori Synthetic Judgment of Legal Errors
Conclusion
References
Part II: Economics, Management
Antecedents in Labor Economics
Introduction
The Assumption of a Predefined Equilibrium
The Mechanics of the Labor Market
The Dichotomy Between Unemployment and Inflation
The Need for Coordination Out of Equilibrium
The Link Between the Disequilibrium in the Labor Market and the Disequilibrium in the Goods
The Complex Relationship Between Unemployment and Inflation
The Labor Relationship Revisited
The Experimental Consequences of an A Priori
The Neoliberal Experiment
The Keynesian Experiment Revisited
Conclusion
References
Blockchain: Antecedents and Future Challenges
From Cryptocurrency to Turing Complete Decentralized Virtual Machine
Beyond Proof-of-Work Protocols to Achieve Sustainability
Pre-quantum to Post-quantum Blockchain
Discussion
References
A Priori to Investigate Innovation in Management Science
Introduction
The Foundations of Innovation Management
The Historical Foundations
The Theoretical Foundations
The Managerial Approach to Innovation
The Strategic Dimension
The Organizational Dimension
Conclusion
References
Part III: Anthropology, Sociology
Not Having an A Priori Has Become the Anthropological A Priori: Multiple Forms of Knowledge Are Produced in Ethnographic Experiments
Some A Priori That Guide This Text Itself
The Two Epistemological Turns in Anthropology
Concluding Considerations
References
The Investigation as an Antecedent in Sociology and Other A Priori
Introduction
The Investigation as the Basis for the Sociological Approach
Sociology and Actors’ a Priori
Conclusion
References
Index