Nations States, Statistical Groups, Individuals and Other Groups (original) (raw)

This paper enquires into the complex ontology of groups. Methodological individuals suggests that groups can be reduced to the aggregation of individual actions. However, all groups are not, so to speak, born equal in relation to individual action. In particular I distinguish between two types of groups: what I call " natural groups " and " statistical groups ". I analyze the different relationship which both types of group they entertain with modern nation-states, as well as with different types of theories of justice. Central to my argument is the idea that different types of groups reflect the various ways in which we understand and divide the population and that the ontology of groups has fundamental epistemological and political dimensions.