La théorie des normes de compétence d’Alf Ross (Rossian Theory of Norms of Competence)

Revus - Journal for Constitutional Theory and Philosophy of Law (2014) 24. 115–140.

27 Pages Posted: 21 Jan 2015

Date Written: December 2014

Abstract

French Abstract: Alf Ross propose une théorie juridique qu’il veut “véritablement” réaliste, c’est-à-dire susceptible de dissoudre les problèmes auxquels se heurtent la théorie normativiste de Kelsen et la théorie réaliste américaine et de reconstruire leur discours de manière scientifique. L’originalité de Ross réside dans son concept de norme de compétence que Ross analyse, avant d’autres et notamment Searle, comme des règles constitutives. Contrairement à ce que de nombreux commentateurs ont soutenu, ce concept de norme constitutive ne contredit pas la théorie réaliste de Ross. Éclairées à la lumière des premiers écrits de Ross, les normes de compétence sont des rationalisations capables d’exprimer la prédisposition des destinataires des normes à reconnaître certains faits comme droit. Ross peut dès lors apparaître comme un précurseur du postpositivisme.

English Abstract: Alf Ross wanted his legal theory to be a “genuinely” realist one, i.e. capable, firstly, to dissolve some problems of both Kelsenʼs normativist theory and the American realist theory and, secondly, to reconstruct their discourses in a scientific way. The originality of his attempt lies in his concept of norms of competence which he analyses, before others (and including Searle) as “constitutive rules”. Contrary to what many commentators claimed, such a concept of constitutive norm does not contradict his realist theory. In the light of his first writings, norms of competence can be considered as rationalizations able to express the predisposition of the addressees of norms to recognize certain special facts as law. Consequently, Ross can be seen as a precursor of postpositivism.

Note: Downloadable document is in French.

Keywords: validity, prescriptions, force, constitutive rules, regulative rules, empirism, realism, postpositivism

Suggested Citation

Tusseau, Guillaume, La théorie des normes de compétence d’Alf Ross (Rossian Theory of Norms of Competence) (December 2014). Revus - Journal for Constitutional Theory and Philosophy of Law (2014) 24. 115–140., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2552197

Guillaume Tusseau (Contact Author)

Sciences Po Law School ( email )

27 rue Saint-Guillaume
Paris Cedex 07, 75337
France

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