The methodology of political theory

Christian List; Laura Valentini

The methodology of political theory

Political Economy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

This article examines the methodology of a core branch of contemporary political theory or philosophy: ?analytic? political theory. After distinguishing political theory from related fields, such as political science, moral philosophy, and legal theory, the article discusses the analysis of political concepts. It then turns to the notions of principles and theories, as distinct from concepts, and reviews the methods of assessing such principles and theories (e.g., the reflective-equilibrium method), for the purpose of justifying or criticizing them. Finally, it looks at a recent debate on how abstract and idealized political theory should be, and assesses the significance of disagreement in political theory. The discussion is carried out from an angle inspired by the philosophy of science.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Methodology
Editors	Herman Cappelen, Tamar Szabó Gendler, John Hawthorne
Place of Publication	Oxford, UK
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2016

Publication series

Name	Oxford Handbooks in Philosophy
Publisher	Oxford University Press

Access to Document

http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/65367/

Cite this

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title = "The methodology of political theory",

abstract = "This article examines the methodology of a core branch of contemporary political theory or philosophy: ?analytic? political theory. After distinguishing political theory from related fields, such as political science, moral philosophy, and legal theory, the article discusses the analysis of political concepts. It then turns to the notions of principles and theories, as distinct from concepts, and reviews the methods of assessing such principles and theories (e.g., the reflective-equilibrium method), for the purpose of justifying or criticizing them. Finally, it looks at a recent debate on how abstract and idealized political theory should be, and assesses the significance of disagreement in political theory. The discussion is carried out from an angle inspired by the philosophy of science.",

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AB - This article examines the methodology of a core branch of contemporary political theory or philosophy: ?analytic? political theory. After distinguishing political theory from related fields, such as political science, moral philosophy, and legal theory, the article discusses the analysis of political concepts. It then turns to the notions of principles and theories, as distinct from concepts, and reviews the methods of assessing such principles and theories (e.g., the reflective-equilibrium method), for the purpose of justifying or criticizing them. Finally, it looks at a recent debate on how abstract and idealized political theory should be, and assesses the significance of disagreement in political theory. The discussion is carried out from an angle inspired by the philosophy of science.

M3 - Chapter

T3 - Oxford Handbooks in Philosophy

BT - The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Methodology

A2 - Cappelen, Herman

A2 - Gendler, Tamar Szabó

A2 - Hawthorne, John

PB - Oxford University Press

CY - Oxford, UK

ER -

The methodology of political theory

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