The Normativity of Formal Orders and Procedures in Antiquity: A Comparison of Mathematical and Legal Systems
Pre-modern mathematical and judicial texts exhibit distinctive formal features which can be identified as early as in the texts from Mesopotamia and Egypt and which enable conclusions to be drawn about the structure of their content. Using examples from Hittite, Greek, and Roman legal texts and mathematical and legal texts from Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, the individual contributions analyze how normativity (linguistic features, formulas, specific design of writing material) was used to promote putative permanent validity and authority. They also prompt us to reflect about the terms “coherence” and “abstraction” and enable us to gain insights into the validity and acceptance of norms in pre-modern cultures and the procedures through which they were enforced.
