Theory of Formal Constructions

A related framework focusing on how specific formal entities—definitions, axioms, rules of inference, measurement units—are actively built, negotiated, and stabilised within communities. It studies the work involved in making something “formal”: the debates over wording, the choices between alternative axioms, the agreements on notation, the institutional enforcement of standards. This theory reveals that formalisation is a social process, not a moment of discovery. It helps explain why different fields have different formalisms and why even within a field, formal constructions are contested.

Example: “The theory of formal constructions traced how the metre was defined, redefined, and finally anchored to the speed of light—each step a human construction, not a discovery of nature’s own unit.”

Theory of Formal Constructions by Abzugal May 22, 2026