Political Science

[DanishDynamite]

I've heard the expression "Political Science" a number of times through the years. Does anyone know what it actually means?

I mean, if politics could be treated as a science with hypothesis and experimentation, one would expect that some set of "laws of politics" would emerge. And that through the normal iteration process of science, the various parties and views could be formulated as equations.

I haven't seen such equations.

More interestingly, one could expect that an analysis of said equations could lead to the determination of what the optimum political view is. In which case this forum could be discontinued. :)

So, what exactly is "political science" and does it deserve to be called a science?

[Luke T.]

What are the equations for evolution?

[Bjorn]

"Political science deals with the nature, the accumulation, the distribution, the exercise, and the control of power on all levels of social interaction, with special emphasis upon the power of the state."

I guess it might be possible to study this witout necessarily reaching conclusions about what is optimal political view.

Much like studying litterature? :con2:

[crimresearch]

'I'm a political scientist' sounds cooler than 'I'm a politicologist'.

:D

Paul

[Theodore Kurita]

Funny thing is, I have been seriously consdiering majoring in Political Science.

Here is a good website on what PolitSci (short hand for Political Science if you can't tell) is:

http://www.apsanet.org/


Ps. A large chunk of the foundation of Political Science is based upon the idea's of Aristotle.

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Luke T.
What are the equations for evolution? Good question.

It seems the answer is Yes. (http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/sep2000/969999302.Ev.r.html)

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Bjorn
"Political science deals with the nature, the accumulation, the distribution, the exercise, and the control of power on all levels of social interaction, with special emphasis upon the power of the state."

I guess it might be possible to study this witout necessarily reaching conclusions about what is optimal political view.

Much like studying litterature? :con2: Bjorn, you cheat! Did you Google "definition Political Science" like I did? Because in the very first (or second) hit, your quote appears!:)

In regard to studying litterature, I don't think that is a science.

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Theodore Kurita
Funny thing is, I have been seriously consdiering majoring in Political Science.

Here is a good website on what PolitSci (short hand for Political Science if you can't tell) is:

http://www.apsanet.org/


Ps. A large chunk of the foundation of Political Science is based upon the idea's of Aristotle. I just checked you link. Could you tell me where to find a definition of Political Science? Thanks.

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
Good question.

It seems the answer is Yes. (http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/sep2000/969999302.Ev.r.html)

It appears the answer is Yes (http://www.uic.edu/depts/grad/courses/pols.shtml) to political science equations, too. :D

414. Formal Models of Politics. 4 Hours. Introduction to formal political theory, emphasizing spatial voting and collective action models, analytic techniques including game theory, decision theory, utility maximization, and difference equations.

[Theodore Kurita]

Here is the link on the exact deffiniton from the link I posted earlier:

http://www.apsanet.org/studyingps.cfm

http://www.apsanet.org/img/definition.gif
http://www.apsanet.org/img/definition23.gif

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Luke T.


It appears the answer is Yes (http://www.uic.edu/depts/grad/courses/pols.shtml) to political science equations, too. :D

:D

Seriously though, despite often repeated "theory" and "models", is this science? I mean I could make a model which might explain the distribution of how many votes were cast at a given time of the day, but would that be science?

And I wonder what Political Theory means?

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
:D

Seriously though, despite often repeated "theory" and "models", is this science? I mean I could make a model which might explain the distribution of how many votes were cast at a given time of the day, but would that be science?

And I wonder what Political Theory means?

Maybe the only difference between science and art/philosophy is practical application.

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Theodore Kurita
Here is the link on the exact deffiniton from the link I posted earlier:

http://www.apsanet.org/studyingps.cfm

http://www.apsanet.org/img/definition.gif
http://www.apsanet.org/img/definition23.gif Thanks!

So Political Science is the study of politics. But I don't see how studying something makes that act a science. If I study the number of times that the letter "E" is used in Darwin's "On the Origin of Species", does that make my study a science?

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Luke T.


Maybe the only difference between science and art/philosophy is practical application. I beg to differ in an enormous way. Much of scientific exploration has no (immediate) practical application at all.

[varwoche]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
Thanks!

So Political Science is the study of politics. But I don't see how studying something makes that act a science. If I study the number of times that the letter "E" is used in Darwin's "On the Origin of Species", does that make my study a science?
I can easily imagine statistical calculations as being part and parcel.

[Chaos]

"Everything that has ´science´ in its name is not a science - for example, Politicial Science."

Lt. Col. Matt Morgan, at TAM2

:D

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
I beg to differ in an enormous way. Much of scientific exploration has no (immediate) practical application at all.

Astronomy springs to mind. No practical application. I guess you are right. I spoke too quickly.

But why do we pursue it other than for philosophical reasons?

I think political science is a science because governments have evolved from it, and are constantly tweaking themselves through such things as the 9/11 hearings.








Sorry. couldn't help it, subgenius....

[Bjorn]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
Bjorn, you cheat! Did you Google "definition Political Science" like I did? Because in the very first (or second) hit, your quote appears! :) Of course I cheat! (Just like you, it appears ....)

In regard to studying litterature, I don't think that is a science. Maybe you should find a satifactory definition of science, first of all?

Is philosophy a science? :c2:

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Luke T.
[B]

Astronomy springs to mind. No practical application. I guess you are right. I spoke too quickly.

But why do we pursue it other than for philosophical reasons?

I think political science is a science because governments have evolved from it, and are constantly tweaking themselves through such things as the 9/11 hearings.:)

I can only assume this is a joke. :)

But seriously, if politics could be studied scientificaly, with ever better models of the consequences of a governmental type, wouldn't that be cool?! And wouldn't one expect that such studies, being scientific and all, could at some point "prove" that a given type of governmental model was the optimum?

[DanishDynamite]

Originally posted by Bjorn
Of course I cheat! (Just like you, it appears ....)

[B]Maybe you should find a satifactory definition of science, first of all?

Is philosophy a science? :c2: No, philosophy is not a science.

In regard to a definition of science, I would think that using the scientific method and peer reviewed approval would be a large part.

[Theodore Kurita]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
:)

I can only assume this is a joke. :)

But seriously, if politics could be studied scientificaly, with ever better models of the consequences of a governmental type, wouldn't that be cool?! And wouldn't one expect that such studies, being scientific and all, could at some point "prove" that a given type of governmental model was the optimum?

Political Science also ties in significantly with History.

Most political scientists that I have met usually have some sort of political agenda in the first place.

They create models, and theories on how a certain type of government or lack there of can be attained.


A good example of Political Science in action would be:

Das Kapital
by Karl Marx

It is most in tune with political science as it uses examples throughout history, and creates a model for human behavior under a certain system.

There are many other books that I could list, but that one just stick out in my brain for some odd reason today.

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
:)

I can only assume this is a joke. :)

Yes, it was a joke. A lame one. I running on fumes right now.

But seriously, if politics could be studied scientificaly, with ever better models of the consequences of a governmental type, wouldn't that be cool?! And wouldn't one expect that such studies, being scientific and all, could at some point "prove" that a given type of governmental model was the optimum?

I don't know that I would be satisfied with proving a given type of model was the optimum. That is too static. I would want a newer, better model proposed as a result, and I think that is what happens.

[Bjorn]

Originally posted by DanishDynamite
No, philosophy is not a science.

In regard to a definition of science, I would that using the scientific method and peer reviewed approval would be a large part. Don't let this imply that I necessarily disagree with you, but I 'cheated' again:

\Sci"ence\, n. [F., fr. L. scientia, fr. sciens, -entis,
p. pr. of scire to know. Cf. {Conscience}, {Conscious},
{Nice}.]
1. Knowledge; knowledge of principles and causes; ascertained
truth of facts.

If we conceive God's sight or science, before the
creation, to be extended to all and every part of
the world, seeing everything as it is, . . . his
science or sight from all eternity lays no necessity
on anything to come to pass. --Hammond.

Shakespeare's deep and accurate science in mental
philosophy. --Coleridge.

2. Accumulated and established knowledge, which has been
systematized and formulated with reference to the
discovery of general truths or the operation of general
laws; knowledge classified and made available in work,
life, or the search for truth; comprehensive, profound, or
philosophical knowledge.

http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/science

Politics, on the other hand, wasn't mentioned. :)

[Skeptic]

Funny thing is, I have been seriously consdiering majoring in Political Science.

Whatever you do, don't do that, unless you plan to go to law school or get an MBA immediately afterward.

Simply put, majoring in political sciences is the equivalent of throwing four years of your life away, as it gains you absolutely zero marketable skills.

Your deep knowledge of Marxism and the current anti-globalization climate will be of little use at McDonald's.

[shanek]

Political Science
by Randy Newman

No one likes us, I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money, but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us so let's surprise 'em
We'll drop the big one and pulverize 'em

Asia's crowded
And Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

BOOM! goes London, BOOM! Paree
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

[Theodore Kurita]

Originally posted by Skeptic
Funny thing is, I have been seriously consdiering majoring in Political Science.

Whatever you do, don't do that, unless you plan to go to law school or get an MBA immediately afterward.

Simply put, majoring in political sciences is the equivalent of throwing four years of your life away, as it gains you absolutely zero marketable skills.

Your deep knowledge of Marxism and the current anti-globalization climate will be of little use at McDonald's.


I know that already Randfan...

I am planning on doing a double major, and I will probably wish I was dead in the process of it.

The 2 Majors that I am planning on doing are:

PreMed (So I can pass the MCAT and get into Med School)

Political Science (So I can actually act with authority on Political Knowledge, that, and I can always try running for a political seat at some point)

[Skeptic]

I know that already Randfan...

I am planning on doing a double major, and I will probably wish I was dead in the process of it.

The 2 Majors that I am planning on doing are:

PreMed (So I can pass the MCAT and get into Med School)

Political Science (So I can actually act with authority on Political Knowledge, that, and I can always try running for a political seat at some point)

Point taken, indeed, but still--why do you think majoring in political science will be of any use if you run for a elected position in the future? You might as well argue that majoring in "Women's Studies" will be useful in case you decide you want to have a sex-change operation sometime in the future.