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1. Introducing the Ancient Debate

Study

Chapter Summary

People's preconceptions affect the way they think about politics, which can make it very difficult to study politics systematically and to remain open to new concepts, different approaches, and alternative perspectives. Thus, it is important to find some mechanism that enables students of politics to take a step back from their biases, their own desires, their preference for realism or idealism, and so forth. The use of fictional examples can make it easier to set aside our predispositions, can help us to travel to places we typically could not visit, and allow us to share experiences that would ordinarily elude us. Fiction writers, political actors, political theorists, and ideologues commonly invoke images of utopia as a tool to communicate their views about politics. A utopia can be an effective device because, by pushing an idealized vision to its conceptual extreme, a utopia can clearly project specific details of a better world-and it may, in fact, expose the dangers of that world.

Many people from many different professions have contributed to our understanding of politics. Political theorists often use utopias to explore what is possible and what is impossible within the realm of politics. Some of these theorists are realists, and others are idealists. Political theories differ from ideologies in a number of ways. Those who promote an ideology advocate specific programs that are meant to achieve their utopia.

The difficulty people have when attempting to define the term politics, the changing nature of the subject matter, and disagreements about how to conduct research all further confound the study of politics. Students should learn two very important lessons from this first chapter. First, the study of politics is fascinating. Second, reading only the chapter summary will not adequately prepare you for class or for an exam.

Study Questions and Exercises

• Why is fiction a good tool for the study of politics?
• Why do political theorists and political actors use utopian themes? How can these themes help us to identify flaws in "perfect worlds"?
• What are the differences between political theories and political ideologies?
• As a potential consumer viewing the commercials for the political ideologies, what questions would you want answered before buying each product?
• What is it that makes politics a difficult term to define?
• How is the study of politics different from the study of natural sciences (for example, biology and chemistry)?
• Think of your own example to illustrate how a novel that you've read or a television show, movie, or film that you saw demonstrates the difference between idealism and realism.
• Send all of your money to the authors of the text.