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Economics of Convention Meets Canguilhem
[journal article]
Abstract The neopragmatist institutionalist approach of economics of convention (in short EC) still is in need of a conception of health that enables EC to work out a critical standpoint in the analysis of health care institutions. French historical epistemology is an early critique of Comtian positivism in ... view more
The neopragmatist institutionalist approach of economics of convention (in short EC) still is in need of a conception of health that enables EC to work out a critical standpoint in the analysis of health care institutions. French historical epistemology is an early critique of Comtian positivism in the philosophy of science. The work of the historical epistemologist Georges Canguilhem is the most important approach for a non-reductionist, pluralist conception of health and for the anti-positivist critique of medical concepts of the "normal." This critique has become an influential basis for the critical analysis of quantification in health care. Canguilhem introduced the notions of biological normativity and social normativity, which govern the relation of organisms and their milieus and can be regarded as original sources for value and normative orders. In this contribution, the anti-positivist critique of Canguilhem is presented. Then the link between scientific concepts, knowledge production in the health care system, and health institutions is discussed, which was later on continued by Michel Foucault as a successor of Canguilhem in the field of historical epistemology. It is pointed to the affinities of Canguilhem's approach to pragmatism but also to the capability approach of Amartya Sen. Consequences of Canguilhem's work for EC and links to EC's concepts are worked out. Finally, the relevance of Canguilhem's work to the ongoing digitalization of health care is sketched.... view less
Keywords
health care delivery system; quantification; digitalization; normativity; value; epistemology; Foucault, M.; Sen, A.
Classification
Medical Sociology
Philosophy of Science, Theory of Science, Methodology, Ethics of the Social Sciences
Free Keywords
Canguilhem; economics of convention; health economics; sociology of health; biological normativity; social normativity; Bachelard; health care; historical epistemology
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
Page/Pages
p. 285-311
Journal
Historical Social Research, 46 (2021) 1
Issue topic
Conventions, Health and Society - Convention Theory as an Institutionalist Approach to the Political Economy of Health
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed