1. Studying politics scientifically
How do we know what is true?
Tradition/ Authority/ Logic/ Faith/ etc.
vs.
Science
“Science” is a method of acquiring knowledge by careful observation and the use of reason to arrive at generalizations
Now, “we are all scientists.”

2. Politics and Political Science
Different from myth, casual observation, intuition, belief, or common sense
“EMPIRICAL” = grounded in objective and systematic observations
Verified or falsified by a shared set of standards and procedures (“falsifiability”)
 “Your theory is not right and, it is even not wrong.”
 “Your theory should be either right or wrong for being
scientific analysis of politics.”

3. “Characteristics” of Scientific Knowledge I
Empirical (verifiable, testable, falsifiable)
General
Transmissible (transparent)
Explanatory (causal inference)
Predictive
Probabilistic
Provisional (tentative)

4. “Characteristics” of scientific knowledge II
1. The goal is to “make a causal inference” that go beyond the particular observations collected. ( theory building)
2. The procedure should be public and transparent.
( “peer-review” system for publishing research papers)
3. The conclusions are uncertain and provisional.
(“with other things being equal,” “controlled for,”
“ceteris paribus”)
4. “Political science at its best is a social enterprise.”
making a contribution to our stock of social science explanations

5. Empirical (Scientific) Approach: Advantage vs. Disadvantage
Advantages of Empirical Approaches
Tentative truth
Self-correcting
Social enterprise
Improving our understanding

6. Empirical (Scientific) Approach: Advantage vs. Disadvantage
Disadvantages (Limits) of Empirical Approaches?
Limited by observations and assumptions?
Data reliability and availability?
Objective observation? What about cherry-picking?
Excluding completely normative judgments?
Losing relevance in the process of operationalization?