Law as an “abnormal” science

Abstract

This article addresses the problem of the epistemological status of law within the framework of Thomas S. Kuhn's theory of scientific revolutions. It proposes a reinterpretation of law not as a normal science–that is, a practice stabilized within a dominant paradigm–but as an abnormal science, characterized by the coexistence of conflicting paradigms, the absence of methodological consensus, and the continuous revision of its normative and cognitive foundations. Based on this premise, three working hypotheses are proposed to guide the discussion, and the epistemological and methodological consequences of this approach for contemporary legal research are reflected upon.