Lecture 8: understanding and collective intentionality

Question 1

differences between empirical-analytical method and hermeneutics

Answer 1

EAM:

• ideals of positivism
• processes (causes)
• spectator’s perspective (outside)
• knowledge production: based on unambiguous and instrumental language
• early wittgenstein

Hermeneutics

• looking for internal coherence and meaning (rules, norms)
• events (reasons)
• participant’s perspective (insider)
• knowledge production: analysis of the uses of language and meaning

Question 2

opinion early wittgenstein in social science

Answer 2

• assume there’s a correspondence between names and objects
• correspondence links elementary propositions with different states of affairs
• the sentence is meaningful only because it depicts a state of affairs in reality
• emphasis on the truth

Question 3

opinion later wittgenstein

Answer 3

• language game: a specific form of language-use within a certain context and according to certain rules
• awareness of different forms of language
• emphasis on the use

Question 4

Winch about rules and forms of life

Answer 4

main message: social actions can be fully understood by considering them as the rules of a form of life

• social actions are carried out for reasons and those reasons are only understandable against the background of the whole of a practice. By identifying the constitutive and regulatory rules one is able to understand social actions
• Winch rejects Hempels CLM

Question 5

constitutive rules

Answer 5

what the purpose of the game is, which moves are allowed, what chess-pieces can and can’t do →these rules determine what chess is.

Question 6

regulatory rules

Answer 6

rules of thumb for opening, middle game, end game; etiquette about how to play with others → determine the strategy to play and interact during the game

Question 7

Lewis’ approach to understanding social norms/conventions

Answer 7

• rules of a form of life re conventions that are followed because of a system of mutual expectations, focused on self-interest
• conventions are established through salience or past practice
• there is critic on, so Bicchieri explanation is better

Question 8

Bicchiere’s approach to understand social norms/conventions

Answer 8

people follow social norms because

• other people also obey to these norms
• and they expect others to respect these social norms