Abstract
A comparative examination of the concept of ‘fact’ as used in legal theory as a discipline lying in the sphere of the social sciences, on the one hand, and philosophy of science on the other, suggests that a ‘fact’ in the realm of science is not ‘harder’, more real or absolute for the purpose of epistemological enquiry. It cannot be asserted that essential differences exist between ‘facts’ in the two spheres, because the epistemological components for ascertaining what a fact is, that is, how it is known to be what it is, are fundamentally the same.
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Notes
Yildirim, C.: 1971, Science: Its Meaning and Method Middle, East Technical University, p. 71.
Keat, R. and J. Urry: 2nd edn., 1982, Social Theory as Science, Routledge and Kegan Paul, p.13.
Langer, S.K.: 1942, Philosophy in a New Key, Harvard University Press, p.10; see also A.L. Corbin: 1960, ‘Legal Analysis and Terminology’ in R.D. Henson (ed.), Landmarks of Law: Highlights of Legal Opinion, Harper & Bros., p. 197.
Langer, S.K.: 1942, Philosophy in a New Key, Harvard University Press, p.10; see also A.L. Corbin: 1960, ‘Legal Analysis and Terminology’ in R.D. Henson (ed.), Landmarks of Law: Highlights of Legal Opinion, Harper & Bros., p. 197.
Paton, G.W.: 1964, (3rd edn.) D.P. Derham (ed.) A Textbook of Jurisprudence, Oxford University Press, p. 175.
Kelsen, H.: 1952, Principles of International Law, Rinehart, p 265; ibid, (2nd edn.) 1962, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pp. 388 and 393, and footnote 92, on the relative existence of facts.
Kelsen, H.: 1952, Principles of International Law, Rinehart, p 265; ibid, (2nd edn.) 1962, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pp. 388 and 393, and footnote 92, on the relative existence of facts.
Cone, R.A. et al.: ‘Scientific Creativity’, Johns Hopkins Magazine, 31 (1980) pp. 20–25.
Granger, G.-G.: 1983, Formal Thought and the Sciences of Man, Reidel, p.176.
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Balekjian, W.H. (1984). The Concept of ‘Fact’ in the Physical Sciences and in Law. In: Peczenik, A., Lindahl, L., Roermund, B.V. (eds) Theory of Legal Science. Synthese Library, vol 176. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6481-5_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6481-5_15
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