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Foundation of Nomology

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  • Brugha, Cathal MacSwiney

Abstract

This article describes a foundation for modelling generic cognitive structures, under the heading nomology, sometimes known as the “science of the processes of the mind”. It proposes some principles and axioms that are consistent with the evidence in management systems used in business practice. It then reviews previous research about nomology in philosophy, science and the humanities. It shows that the main issue preventing the completion of the foundation of nomology has been the lack of an explanation of the relationship between the objective “nom” part as in economics and the subjective “ology” part as in psychology. It resolves this problem by showing that there are four main objective activities: proposition, perception, pull and push, and for subjective decisions the pull activity becomes redundant. It then describes tests in China and Chinese culture to validate that the results are truly generic. It proposes that nomology will be useful in providing a rigorous foundation for criteria structures in multi-criteria decision-making, and beyond into wider fields, especially those that combine subjective and objective aspects such as in conflict, inter-cultural and inter-disciplinary studies, ethics, and group decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Brugha, Cathal MacSwiney, 2015. "Foundation of Nomology," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 240(3), pages 734-747.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:240:y:2015:i:3:p:734-747
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2014.07.042
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    Cited by:

    1. Shizhong Ai & Rong Du & Cathal M. Brugha & Hongpeng Wang, 2016. "Pointing to Priorities for Multiple Criteria Decision Making — The Case of a MIS-Based Project in China," International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(03), pages 683-702, May.
    2. Joseph R. Kakeneno & Cathal MacSwiney Brugha, 2017. "Usability of Nomology-based methodologies in supporting problem structuring across cultures: the case of participatory decision-making in Tanzania rural communities," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 25(2), pages 393-415, June.
    3. Marttunen, Mika & Haag, Fridolin & Belton, Valerie & Mustajoki, Jyri & Lienert, Judit, 2019. "Methods to inform the development of concise objectives hierarchies in multi-criteria decision analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 277(2), pages 604-620.

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