Week 2: Scientific Study of Politics, Methods, Classical Political Theory Flashcards
What is positivism?
the view that politics can be studied through method of natural science
What is normative analysis?
the study of what SHOULD be
What is the current widely accepted view of politics?
positivism
What are the different approaches to politics?
empirical analysis, deductive analysis, inductive analysis
What is empirical analysis?
an approach to politics; SIMPLE observation, concerned with what IS not what could be
What is deductive analysis?
an approach to politics; starts with an assumption and ends with a conclusion (theorum)
What is inductive analysis?
an approach to politics; theories built upon evidence. basically empirical but covers more ground
What approach is most commonly used in political science?
inductive analysis
What makes a good theory?
it’s falsifiable, logically consistent, concrete, produces variety of testable hypotheses, incorporates new data and can readily be applied to new political contexts
What is a concept?
idea representing a phenomena in the real world
What types of questions are harder to answer, and which are easier?
Conceptual questions are harder to answer while concrete ones are easier
What is operationalization?
puts a concept into a variable~ a measurement strategy
What are the 2 key principals of the scientific approach?
transparency and skepticism!!!
What is literature?
conservation that evolves between political scientists asking research questions
What is the classical antiquity/classical period?
period in time where Greek and Roman civilization flourished
