SW56
THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION THEORY OF THE CORPORATION
CONVENOR: DUNCAN WALLACE
Philosophical investigation allows us to understand that there are different theories or approaches to understanding how the world works. We can think of these theories or approaches as lenses through which we view the world - a different lens reveals a different reality. This workshop will allow discussion of the theoretical lenses through which we can see/understand the corporation. It will begin with introductory comments, in which I will discuss the fact that the dominant theoretical lens through which most corporate law legal systems view/understand the corporation is a theory I call the "social construction theory". As I will show, however, the social construction theory lens encounters significant problems. I will suggest that the "natural entity" theoretical approach to the corporation is, morally and empirically, a much more satisfactory theory for use in legal approaches to the corporation.