I think, there is not a general definition of necessary and sufficient
conditions of a school in science.
Szaki (1981:18-25) wrote about four meanings of the school concept:
- an institutional meaning: Members of a school articulate in an
institutional arrangement;
- a psychological meaning: Members of a school articulate the same theory=
;
- a typological meaning: Theoreticans of science define a group of
scientists as a school if they have the same method;
- a national meaning: Members of a school work at the same place.
Sometimes there are more conditions for the definition of a school in
the literature. The following definitions are from Lindenlaub (1993:406)
and Rieter (2002:145):
- one or more standard publications;
- a written agenda of the school;
- journals or other publications from the school;
- a scientific association;
- many pupils;
- a chief schoolmaster.
In an other definition by Pearson (1999:557) a school practices kuhnian
'normal science'.
Literature:
Lindenlaub, David F. (1993): The Myth of the Older Historical School of
Economics, in: Central European History 26, pp. 405-416.
Pearson, Heath (1999): Was There Really a German Historical School of
Economics?, in: History of Political Economy 31, pp. 547-562.
Rieter, Heinz (2002): Historische Schulen, in: Issing, Otmar (ed.):
Geschichte der National=F6konomie, 4. revised edition, M=FCnchen. pp. 131=
-168.
Szacki, Jerzy (1981): "Schulen" in der Soziologie, in: Lepenies, Wolf
(ed.): Geschichte der Soziologie, Studien zur kognitiven, sozialen und
historischen Identit=E4t einer Disziplin, Vol. 2, Frankfurt/ Main, pp. 16=
-30.
Jan Pieter Schulz
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