Scope and Methods in Political Science

Ole J. Forsberg Proposed Syllabus

Course Purpose: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the nature, language, forms, and methods of empirical social science inquiry. This course will focus on philosophical and theoretical problems and issues in the social sciences; epistemological issues; and the theoretical scope of the study of politics. Among the topics we will cover are concept development and formulation, theory building and evaluation, various epistemological issues, and several specific approaches to the scientific study of politics. Course Format: Because this is a seminar, it carries with it special expectations: mandatory attendance, full preparation prior to class, and active participation by all. Bouncing different ideas off each other does much of the teaching in any seminar. Requirements: You are responsible for coming to class prepared at the least having read all reading assignments and ready to discuss all of the issues raised in the readings. You are also responsible for two exams, and two small papers. Required Books: Hempel, Carl G. 1966. The Philosophy of Natural Science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kaplan, Abraham. 1998. The Conduct of Inquiry: Methodology for Behavioral Science. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Susser, Bernard. 1991. Approaches to the Study of Politics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Recommended Books: Braybrooke, David. 1965. Philosophical Problems of the Social Sciences. New York: Macmillan. Brodbeck, May. 1968. Readings in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences. New York: Macmillan. Kuhn, Thomas S. 1996. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Scope and Methods in Political Science

Lakatos, Imre M. 1980. The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Philosophical Papers. New York: Cambridge University Press. Popper, Karl R. 1992. Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. New York: Routledge. Popper, Karl R. 2002. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. New York: Routledge. Topic and Reading Calendar: Section 1: The Nature of Science
Susser, 118-133. Kaplan, Chapter 1. Popper, Karl R. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. Chapter 1. Susser, 13-65. Asher, 3-20. Russell, in Feigl and Brodbeck, 387-407. Feigl, in Feigl and Brodbeck, 408-418.

Section 2:

The Potential for Social Science

Lundberg,G. A. 1950. Alleged Obstacles to Social Science. Scientific Monthly 70(): 299-305. Nagel, E. Methodological Problems of Social Sciences. Chapter 13. Popper, Karl R. Unity of Method in the Natural and Social Sciences. In Braybroke: 32-41. Skinner, B. F. Is a Science of Human Behavior Possible? In Braybroke: 19-26. Grunbaum, A. Causality and the Science of Human Behavior. In Feigl and Brodbeck: 766-77.

Section 3:

Approaches to the Study of Politics

Traditionalism

Susser, 3-15 Macridis, R. C. Major Characteristics of the Traditional Approach. In Susser, 16-26.
Behavioralism

Dahl, R. A. The Behavioral Approach in Political Science. In Susser: 27-46. Easton, David. The Current Meaning of Behavioralism. In Susser: 4748.
Post-Behavioralism

Easton, David. Tenets of Post-Behavioralism. In Susser: 49-50. Bay, C. Politics and Pseudo-Politics In Susser: 51-75. Susser, 76-100.

Scope and Methods in Political Science

Truman, D. The Impact on Political Science of the Revolution in the Behavioral Sciences. In Brodbeck: 541-60.
Systems Analysis

Susser, 180-188. Easton, David. Categories for the Systems Analysis of Politics. In Susser: 189-201. Hempel, Carl. The Logic of Functional Analysis. In Aspects of Scientific Explanation, Carl Hempel: 297-33.
Structure-Functionalism

Susser, 202-208. Almond, Gabriel A. A Functional Approach to Comparative Politics. In Susser: 209-270.
Rational Choice and Game Theory

Susser, 300-311. Downs, Anthony. An Economic Theory of Democracy. : Introduction. Brams, S. J. The Study of Rational Politics. In Susser: 312-17. Schelling, Thomas C. What is Game Theory? In Susser: 318-346. Plott, C. R. Axiomatic Social Choice Theory. In Asher: 95-147.
Political Psychology

Susser, 347-357. Jervis, R. Additional Thoughts on Political Psychology and Rational Choice. In Susser: 358-62. Greenstein, F. I. Can Personality and Politics Be Studied Systematically? In Susser: 363-89.
Marxism

Susser, 421-29. McMurty, J. The State. In Susser: 430-47. Addis, L. The Individual and the Marxist Philosophy in History. In Brodbeck: 317-35.

Section 4:

Orientations to the Development of Knowledge

Ayer, A. J. Logical Positivism. : 3-28. Schlick, M. Positivism and Realism. In Ayer: 82-107. Reichenbach, H. The Verifiability Theory of Meaning. In Feigl and Brodbeck: 93-102. Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. : 10-110. Kuhn, Thomas S. The Essential Tension. In Susser: 166-79. Watkins, J. W. N. Against Normal Science. In Lakatos and Musgrave: 25-37. Toulmin, S. E. Does the Distinction Between Normal and Revolutionary Science Hold Water? In Lakatos and Musgrave: 39-50. Popper, Karl R. Normal Science and Its Dangers. In Lakatos and Musgrave: 51-58. Ball, T. From Paradigms to Research Programs: Toward a PostKuhnian Political Science. In Asher: 23-49. Lakatos, Imre M. The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes. : 1-7; 8-51; 139-67. Friedman, Milton. The Methodology of Positive Economics. : Chapter 1.

Scope and Methods in Political Science

Section 5: Epistemological Issues
Hempel, Chapter 8. Abel, T. The Operation Called Verstehen. In Feigl and Brodbeck: 67787. Agassi, J. 1975. Institutional Individualism. British Journal of Sociology 26(): 144-155. Brodbeck, May. Methodological Individualisms: Definition and Reduction. In Brodbeck: 280-33.

Section 6:

Concept Formation and Development

Bridgmen, P. W. The Logic of Modern Physics. In Feigl and Brodbeck: 34-46. Hempel, Chapter 7. Kaplan, Chapter 2. Jones, C. O. Doing Before Knowing: Concept Development in Political Research. In Asher: 51-64.

Section 7:

Hypothesis Testing and Theory Evaluation

Hempel, Chapters 2-4. Popper, Karl R. 2002. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. New York: Routledge: Chapter 4 Falsifiability. Popper, Karl R. 2002. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. New York: Routledge: Chapter 7 Simplicity. Popper, Karl R. 2002. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. New York: Routledge: Chapter 10 Corroboration.

Section 8:

Explanation and Prediction

Brodbeck, May. Explanation, Prediction, and Imperfect Knowledge. In Brodbeck: 363-98. Hempel, Chapter 5. Kaplan, Chapter 9. Nagel, E. The Structure of Science. Chapter 2 Patterns of Scientific Explanation.

Section 9:

Theory Components, Forms, and Functions

Hempel, Chapter 6. Kaplan, Chapters 3 and 8. Bergmann G. Imperfect Knowledge. In Brodbeck: 415-436.

Section 10:

Models in the Social Sciences

Kaplan, Chapter 7 Fiorina, M. P. Formal Models in Political Science. In Asher: 67-94.

Scope and Methods in Political Science

Reserved Books: Asher, Herbert B. 1984. Theory-Building and Data Analysis in the Social Sciences. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press. H61.T467 Ayer, Alfred Jules. 1959. Logical Positivism. Glencoe, IL: Free Press. B824.6 .A9

Braybrooke, David. 1965. Philosophical Problems of the Social Sciences. New York: Macmillan. H61 .B638 Brodbeck, May. 1968. Readings in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences. New York: Macmillan. H61.B66 Downs, Anthony J. 1957. An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York: Harper. JF1351 .D65 Fay, Brian. 1976. Social Theory and Political Practice. New York: Holmes & Meier. JA76 .F38 Feigl, Herbert, and May Brodbeck. 1953. Readings in the Philosophy of Science. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Q175 .F38 Friedman, Milton. 1953. Essays in Positive Economics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. HB33 .F7 Hempel, Carl G. 1965. Aspects of Scientific Explanation and Other Essays in the Philosophy of Science. New York: Free Press. Q175 .H4834 Hempel, Carl G. 1966. The Philosophy of Natural Science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Q175 .H4835 Kaplan, Abraham. 1998. The Conduct of Inquiry: Methodology for Behavioral Science. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. H61 .K24 Kuhn, Thomas S. 1996. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Q175 .K95 Lakatos, Imre M. 1977. The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Philosophical Papers. New York: Cambridge University Press. Q175 .L195 v.1

Scope and Methods in Political Science

Lakatos, Imre M., and Alan Musgrave. 1970. Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge. New York: Cambridge University Press. Q175 .I514 Nagel, Ernest. 1961. The Structure of Science: Problems in the Logic of Scientific Explanation. New York, Harcourt, Brace & World. Q175 .N22 Popper, Karl. 1992. Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. New York: Routledge. BD241.P6 Popper, Karl. 2002. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. New York: Routledge Press. Q175.P863

Evaluation Exam 1 (End of Section III): 20% Exam 2 (November 28): Class Discussion: Grades A 90 100% B+ 88 90% B 80 88% 20% 20%

Paper 1 (End of Section I):

20%

Paper 2 (End of Section VII): 20%

C+ C D

78 80% 70 78% 60 70%