Arithmetische Politik und ökonomische Moral. Zur Genealogie der Sozialwissenschaften in England

Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Serie

Der Modellbegriff in den Sozialwissenschaften. Zum Programm einer kritischen Sozio-Logik.

"Durch Analogien denken heißt, auf der Grundlage von Beziehungen oder von Ähnlichkeiten denken, insofern diese auf die Beziehungen verweisen. Denn beim analogischen Urteil richtet sich der geistige Blick lediglich auf die Ursache der Ähnlichkeiten: Die Ähnlichkeiten sind wertlos, wenn sie im Tatsachenbereich, in dem die Analogien Anwendung finden, nicht Beziehungen hervortreten lassen." (A. Cournot, 1912)Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Serie

Orders of Counting: The Quantitative Construction of Society (1550-1870)

As a contribution to the History ofSocial Sciences, this paper examines epistemolo- gical and logical discourses, concepts, methods and statements of quantitative ac- counting, measurement and construction of social units between 1550 and 1870. Referring to Ernst Cassirers Philosophy ofSymbolic Forms and Michel Foucault's The Order of Things the discursive strategies of continental travel questionnaires (Apodemiken) will be outlined in the methodological framework of Historical Epistemology as a concrete Historical Analysis ofScience Disciplines beginning in Renaissance Europe. lt will be shown that in the late 16th century the relational logic of similarity was the genuine and dominant discourse of making »things« and social units constructable, measurable and accountable. The second part of the paper analyzes the epistemological system of political arithmetic (Politische Arithmetik). The historical differences, shifts and transformations between this »Social Science« - appearing first in 17the century England (classical episteme) - and the Tabula Peregrinationes - appearing on the continent in the 16th century (renaissance episteme) will be shown. In the third part of the article the model of statistical deviation - centered in the interpretation of Gauss' bell-shaped curve by Quetelet - and its epistemological consequences for the social sciences in the 19th century are pointed out.  As a contribution to the History ofSocial Sciences, this paper examines epistemolo- gical and logical discourses, concepts, methods and statements of quantitative ac- counting, measurement and construction of social units between 1550 and 1870. Referring to Ernst Cassirers Philosophy ofSymbolic Forms and Michel Foucault's The Order of Things the discursive strategies of continental travel questionnaires (Apodemiken) will be outlined in the methodological framework of Historical Epistemology as a concrete Historical Analysis ofScience Disciplines beginning in Renaissance Europe. lt will be shown that in the late 16th century the relational logic of similarity was the genuine and dominant discourse of making »things« and social units constructable, measurable and accountable. The second part of the paper analyzes the epistemological system of political arithmetic (Politische Arithmetik). The historical differences, shifts and transformations between this »Social Science« - appearing first in 17the century England (classical episteme) - and the Tabula Peregrinationes - appearing on the continent in the 16th century (renaissance episteme) will be shown. In the third part of the article the model of statistical deviation - centered in the interpretation of Gauss' bell-shaped curve by Quetelet - and its epistemological consequences for the social sciences in the 19th century are pointed out

The Dominance of Numbers - Nature's War: On the Mathematicization of the Social Sciences in England, 1800-1900

The article sketches the evolution of mathematical social sciences in Great Britain, focussing on Political Economy and Social Statistics. The formal methods which were later to become of greatest importance in these sciences (differential calculus and probability theory) were mainly imported from continental mathematics at the beginning of the 19th century. The emergence of Political Economy and the transformation of classical Political Arithmetic into Statistics roughly coincided with this „catching-up" process. Moreover, the „Cambridge Network of Scientists" (Cannon), with its protagonists Whewell, Herschel, Babbage and Peacock, played a central role in the adoption of French mathematics as well as in the early attempts to place the social sciences on a methodologically sound basis. Not surprisingly, the Cambridge Scientists (gathered mainly in the Cambridge Philosophical Society and the Cambridge Astronomical Society) were among the first to use mathematical methods in dealing with „the complicated conduct of our social and moral relations" (Herschel). However, the mathematicization of the social sciences cannot be seen as a smooth, continuous process of successively applying formal techniques to social phenomena. The application of the general equilibrium framework of analytical mechanics to the study of man's desires and actions, and the use of probability theory in explaining (not just describing) the synthesis and development of social aggregates, required an essential precondition: a new kind of analysis of „man", such as had emerged in geology and physiology since the late 1830s. Using the principles of natural selection and reflex action, it became possible to view human societies simultaneously as random samples and systems of forces, to which mathematical techniques now became reasonably applicable. The rise of Economics and Eugenics (founded by Jevons and Galton, respectively) towards the end of the 19th century can thus be perceived as a late consequence of this „anthropological turn". Therefore, the evolution of mathematical social sciences is not a symptom of a „mechanistic" view of man (usually associated with Cartesian epistomology), but simply another result of the very dissolving of classical „mathesis" (Foucault), which entailed the appearance of „man" as a privileged object of knowledge.The article sketches the evolution of mathematical social sciences in Great Britain, focussing on Political Economy and Social Statistics. The formal methods which were later to become of greatest importance in these sciences (differential calculus and probability theory) were mainly imported from continental mathematics at the beginning of the 19th century. The emergence of Political Economy and the transformation of classical Political Arithmetic into Statistics roughly coincided with this „catching-up" process. Moreover, the „Cambridge Network of Scientists" (Cannon), with its protagonists Whewell, Herschel, Babbage and Peacock, played a central role in the adoption of French mathematics as well as in the early attempts to place the social sciences on a methodologically sound basis. Not surprisingly, the Cambridge Scientists (gathered mainly in the Cambridge Philosophical Society and the Cambridge Astronomical Society) were among the first to use mathematical methods in dealing with „the complicated conduct of our social and moral relations" (Herschel). However, the mathematicization of the social sciences cannot be seen as a smooth, continuous process of successively applying formal techniques to social phenomena. The application of the general equilibrium framework of analytical mechanics to the study of man's desires and actions, and the use of probability theory in explaining (not just describing) the synthesis and development of social aggregates, required an essential precondition: a new kind of analysis of „man", such as had emerged in geology and physiology since the late 1830s. Using the principles of natural selection and reflex action, it became possible to view human societies simultaneously as random samples and systems of forces, to which mathematical techniques now became reasonably applicable. The rise of Economics and Eugenics (founded by Jevons and Galton, respectively) towards the end of the 19th century can thus be perceived as a late consequence of this „anthropological turn". Therefore, the evolution of mathematical social sciences is not a symptom of a „mechanistic" view of man (usually associated with Cartesian epistomology), but simply another result of the very dissolving of classical „mathesis" (Foucault), which entailed the appearance of „man" as a privileged object of knowledge

Advancing Empirical Approaches to the Concept of Resilience: A Critical Examination of Panarchy, Ecological Information, and Statistical Evidence

Despite its ambiguities, the concept of resilience is of critical importance to researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers in dealing with dynamic socio-ecological systems. In this paper, we critically examine the three empirical approaches of (i) panarchy; (ii) ecological information-based network analysis; and (iii) statistical evidence of resilience to three criteria determined for achieving a comprehensive understanding and application of this concept. These criteria are the ability: (1) to reflect a system’s adaptability to shocks; (2) to integrate social and environmental dimensions; and (3) to evaluate system-level trade-offs. Our findings show that none of the three currently applied approaches are strong in handling all three criteria. Panarchy is strong in the first two criteria but has difficulty with normative trade-offs. The ecological information-based approach is strongest in evaluating trade-offs but relies on common dimensions that lead to over-simplifications in integrating the social and environmental dimensions. Statistical evidence provides suggestions that are simplest and easiest to act upon but are generally weak in all three criteria. This analysis confirms the value of these approaches in specific instances but also the need for further research in advancing empirical approaches to the concept of resilience

Navigating the adaptive cycle: an approach to managing the resilience of social systems

The concept of resilience continues to crescendo since the 1990s, touching on multiple fields with multiple interpretations and uses. Here, we start from its origins in systems ecology, framing the resilience concept explicitly in the adaptive cycle with the observation that resilient systems are ones that successfully navigate all stages of growth, development, collapse, and reorientation of this cycle. The model is explored in terms of the traps and pathologies that hinder this successful navigation, particularly when applied to socioeconomic organizations and decision-management situations. For example, for continuous function over the adaptive life cycle, a system needs activation energy or resources to grow, followed by adequate structure and complexity to maintain maturity. Implementation of crisis plans may avert collapse, but during catastrophe, the ability to improvise and re-orient will allow the system to emerge along a new cycle. We review the capacities, competencies, and cultures needed by these organizations, specifically, identifying that the needed resources are often cultivated in earlier stages, thus requiring consideration of the entire life cycle for success