Doing Formulating in and as Practical Actions

Abstract

This paper is intended to be a reconsideration of formulations in and as practical actions, following H. Garfinkel and H. Sacks. First, Garfinkel and Sacks' ethnomethodology and conversation analysis are placed in the philosophical trend after the linguistic turn, as they analyse use of natural language in actual settings, including even formulations which are usually considered to be scientific procedures. Second. we restate their distinction between formulations and “doing formulating” in and as ordinary practical actions. Next, this practice is demonstrated in a setting of psychiatric interviews. Finally, we see “doing formulating” is a naturally organized activity, rather than a metaphysical procedure.