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Chapter 3 — Political Science: Components, Tasks, and Controversies Study Chapter Summary The basic question addressed in this chapter is, How can
we usefully define the discipline of political science? We begin by
focusing on three subjects of great interest to political scientists: political
philosophy and ethics, the empirical and behavioral study of politics, and
public policy. We can think of these interests as the ethical, empirical, and
prudential components of political science. The discipline of political science has traditionally
included the following 4 subfields: 1. American Government -- the study of how government and politics works in the United
States. 2. International Relations -- the study of how countries and other major political actors
interact in the international system. 3. Comparative Politics -- study of political and
governance processes in countries around the world. 4. Political Theory -- what are the bets and most
just form of governance. Beyond the 4 traditional fields, political science is concerned with worthy political values, or ethics, with what ought to be in politics. Every community adheres to certain values, is inspired by certain purposes, is dedicated to certain goals, and is committed to certain conceptions of the good life. Critical examination of these norms is a central concern of the discipline. Students of politics are also concerned with understanding
political phenomena--political realities--in the community: events and their
causes, conditions of well-being, patterns of conflict and accommodation,
institutions, and public policies. In short, political scientists are concerned
with political empiricism--what has been, what is, and what will be.
Empirical, or scientific, method is used to objectively uncover the facts of
political phenomena and then to test hypotheses and arrive at supportable
generalizations about the political world. Political scientists are also concerned with political prudence--what
can be, that is, with workable public policies and a host of practical
judgments. The prudential component refers to wise judgment about the practical tasks
of politics. With these basic concerns of political science providing
context, we note that there are four major tasks of the discipline: 1. the concern for what is right or wrong in politics leads, initially, to the task of ethical recommendation. 2. the concern for political phenomena--facts, circumstances, experiences--leads to the task of empirical understanding. 3. the concern for what can sensibly be done leads to the task of prudential, or wise, judgment or action. Although
political scientists may specialize in any one of the three primary
realms--ethical, empirical, or prudential--they must still appreciate how these
components interrelate in a unified and coherent discipline, thus leading to
the fourth task: 4. the theoretical integration of these ethical, empirical, and prudential concerns. One way to facilitate this integration is through the concept of political health. The latter
part of chapter 3 discusses several of the continuing controversies in
political science including what priority the quest for the good political life
should receive, whether a genuine science of politics can be achieved, the
responsibility of the discipline to provide guidance for citizens and leaders
of state, and the importance of establishing a unified discipline. Chapter Objectives
After
reading this chapter, you should...
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