Is Context-Is Context-Independent Independent

Communication Communication Possible?Possible?

The Case for Basic Social MathThe Case for Basic Social Math

© 2012© 2012 byby Jared Lee Hanson Jared Lee HansonAcademy of Management Annual Meeting in Boston, Academy of Management Annual Meeting in Boston,

Massachusetts, USAMassachusetts, USA

Frankfurt School & the Question of Frankfurt School & the Question of TruthTruth

“Horkheimer argued that the social sciences are different from the natural sciences, “inasmuch as generalizations cannot be easily made from so-called experiences, “because the understanding of a ‘social’ experience itself is always fashioned by ideas that are in the researchers themselves.” (1976)*

Why Can’t We Generalize?Why Can’t We Generalize?

Philosophical DividePhilosophical Divide

“Scientific inquiry places a lot of emphasis on method, on exactly how the evidence in support of a knowledge claim was collected. ... if a rigorous method is used, then the evidence collected to support a proposed solution will be thought to be ‘true’ regardless of who collected it or whom it is presented to.” (Metcalfe, 2008)

“Pragmatism distinguishes inquiry from research by saying knowledge is community based rather than universal.... pragmatism sees inquiry as reflecting on physical events through a variety of concepts (lenses, theories, perspectives, stances, viewpoints or ideologies).” (Metcalfe, 2008) Includes: Qual/Quan Methods, Normative/Descriptive Modeling

Problem with Social ConstructionProblem with Social Construction

Criticism from Austrian EconomicsCriticism from Austrian Economics

“Mises argued that numerically accurate ‘probabilities’ could never be assigned to singular cases because the unique confluence of events in each moment of time in real markets makes the assignment of ‘objective’ probabilities unrealistic, as these events are intrinsically unique and not capable of numerical probabilistic modeling.”(1981)*“The Austrian praxeological method is based on the heavy use of logical deduction from what they argue to be undeniable, self-evident axioms or irrefutable facts about human existence.” (Hoppe, 2007)*

Problem in Current MethodsProblem in Current Methods

How can we reach any irrefutable facts about human existence?

Habermas on Communicating TruthHabermas on Communicating Truth

“In this version of the consensus theory of truth Habermas maintains that truth is what would be agreed upon in an ideal speech situation.” (1981)*“An ‘ideal speech situation’ (in Payrow Shabani, 2003)*, requires participants to have the same capacities of discourse, social equality and their words are not confused by ideology or other errors. (in Calhoun, 2002)*”

Lessons from Language ClassLessons from Language Class

““Ideal Speech Situation”?Ideal Speech Situation”?

“Decision making is a fundamental particle of management” (Noonan, 2007).

Illustrations of perspective in drawing (Gavin, 2010).

How can we achieve legitimacy in our social representations?

The Need for Linguistic RigorThe Need for Linguistic Rigor

Cimabue, 1280 Giotto, 1310 Da Vinci, 1503-6

Bridging the Philosophical DivideBridging the Philosophical DivideBasic Social MathBasic Social MathTesting Paradigms Against Empirical EvidenceAnchoring Meaning to Empirical Processes in order to Frame and Navigate Complex Problems

“While theory must inform praxis, praxis must also have a chance to inform theory.” Frankfurt School*

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Calhoun, Craig J (2002). Contemporary Sociological Theory, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002, ISBN 0-631-21350-3, p.355Gavin (2010). “Establishing Perspective in Your Drawings.” Tutorials Plus. 10 May 2010.

http://psd.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tools-tips/establishing-perspective-in-your-drawings-basix/Habermas, Jurgen (1981). The Theory of Communicative Action *summarized in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurgen_Habermas, 16 July 2012 Hoppe, Hans-Hermann (2007). Economic Science and the Austrian Method (Auburn, Ala.: Mises Institute, [1995]

2007), p. 63. *summarized in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_economics, accessed on 16 July 2012.Horkheimer, Max (1976). “Traditional and Critical Theory”. In: Connerton, P (Eds), Critical Sociology: Selected

Readings, Penguin, Harmondsworth, p. 213, *summarized in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_school, accessed on 16 July 2012.

Metcalfe, Mike (2008). “Pragmatic Inquiry”. Journal of the Operational Research Society (2008) 59, 1091–1099. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602443

Mises, Ludwig von (1981). http://mises.org/books/ufofes/ *summarized in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_economics, accessed on 16 July 2012.

Noonan, Patrick S (2007). “Designing, Selling a Hybrid Course.” ORMS Today, v34 (4) 2007: 10.Payrow Shabani, Omid A (2003). Democracy, Power and Legitimacy: The Critical Theory of Jurgen Habermas.

University of Toronto Press. p. 49. ISBN 0-8020-8761-2. http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF- 8&vid=ISBN0802087612&id=tKDU3l3cq60C&pg=P A49&lpg=P A49&dq=ideal+speech+situation.