An Albertian View of Buchanan’s Contractarianism

Abstract This paper in honor of Hans Albert ‘@100’ seeks to show how adhering critical rationalist ‘economic philosophy’ avoids contradictions James Buchanan’s contractarianism: restricting constitutional economic advice what serves the ends all potential addressees simultaneously Buchanan not only blurs borderline between value-neutral philosophy and substantive moral but also contradicts his thesis “necessary relativism individualism values”. Translating ‘means-ends’-relations into technological ‘cause-effect’-relations, can treat blueprints as nomological hypotheses subject scientific test corroboration while leaving their practical implementation citizens whose contingent particular may or be universalistic.