“PLENTY OF NORMS, EMPTY MEANING. HOW THE QUEST FOR MEANING IS NOT IMPACTED BY NORMATIVE INFLATION”.

In this paper it is intended to evaluate the epistemological theory of Otto Neurath and Alf Ross regarding legal theory and norms. In order to do so, one particular phenomenon shall be examined: normative inflation. The fact that there are too many norms creates a specific situation for knowledge just like the absence of norms does. The hypothesis is that knowing “the” applicable norm is epistemologically equivalent whether there are too many norms or too few. In order to do so it seems interesting to rely on Neurath’s definition of knowledge that emphasizes its underdetermination and its uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]