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Is 'Political Science' an oxymoron?
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BaldJean View Drop Down
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Points: 10387 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BaldJean Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 18:10
no, it is not. I suggest you look up the meaning of "oxymoron" because it does NOT mean "contradiction in terms", as many people (and apparently you too) falsely use the word.

an oxymoron is a rhetorical device that combines two apparent opposites to illustrate a point and thereby creates a new meaning. examples are "bittersweet", "deafening silence" or "open secret". "political science" does most definitely not fall into that category




Edited by BaldJean - December 04 2019 at 18:23


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Points: 16130 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blacksword Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 08:04
Originally posted by siLLy puPPy siLLy puPPy wrote:

You have to remember that English words have multiple meanings and shades of nuances depending on the field of study to which they relate. Just read the more comprehensive definition of the word SCIENCE and it's quite clear that when coupled with an adjectival descriptor that it's perfectly logical to create word groupings such as POLITICAL SCIENCE.

<h2>sci·ence</h2> <span ="snd" -snd="S0146700"><span title="" ="i snd-icon-plain"></span> </span> <span ="pron">(sī′əns)</span><div ="pseg">n.<div ="ds-list">1. <div ="sds-list">a. <span ="hvr">The</span> <span ="hvr">observation,</span> <span ="hvr">identification,</span> <span ="hvr">description,</span> <span ="hvr">experimental</span> <span ="hvr">investigation,</span> <span ="hvr">and</span> <span ="hvr">theoretical</span> <span ="hvr">explanation</span> of <span ="hvr">phenomena:</span> <span ="illustration"><span ="hvr">new</span> <span ="hvr">advances</span> in <span ="hvr">science</span> <span ="hvr">and</span> <span ="hvr">technology.</span></span>
<div ="sds-list">b. <span ="hvr">Such</span> <span ="hvr">activities</span> <span ="hvr">restricted</span> to a <span ="hvr">class</span> of <span ="hvr">natural</span> <span ="hvr">phenomena:</span> <span ="illustration"><span ="hvr">the</span> <span ="hvr">science</span> of <span ="hvr">astronomy.</span></span><div ="ds-list">2. A <span ="hvr">systematic</span> <span ="hvr">method</span> or <span ="hvr">body</span> of <span ="hvr">knowledge</span> in a <span ="hvr">given</span> <span ="hvr">area:</span> <span ="illustration"><span ="hvr">the</span> <span ="hvr">science</span> of <span ="hvr">marketing.</span></span><div ="ds-list">3. <span ="hvr">Archaic</span> <span ="hvr">Knowledge,</span> <span ="hvr">especially</span> <span ="hvr">that</span> <span ="hvr">gained</span> <span ="hvr">through</span> <span ="hvr">experience.</span>



Very good point.

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Blacksword View Drop Down
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Points: 16130 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blacksword Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 08:04
Originally posted by ExittheLemming ExittheLemming wrote:

Yep, I think it more appropriate to describe the discipline as Political Sociology to avoid the inevitable charges of inconsistencies with the hypothetical proofs required by natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) and formal sciences (logic, mathematics)


Or political philosophy...
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siLLy puPPy View Drop Down
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Points: 15347 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote siLLy puPPy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 07:28
You have to remember that English words have multiple meanings and shades of nuances depending on the field of study to which they relate. Just read the more comprehensive definition of the word SCIENCE and it's quite clear that when coupled with an adjectival descriptor that it's perfectly logical to create word groupings such as POLITICAL SCIENCE.

sci·ence

 (sī′əns)
n.
1.
a. The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena: new advances in science and technology.
b. Such activities restricted to a class of natural phenomena: the science of astronomy.
2. A systematic method or body of knowledge in a given area: the science of marketing.
3. Archaic Knowledge, especially that gained through experience.

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ExittheLemming View Drop Down
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Points: 11420 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ExittheLemming Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 07:04
Yep, I think it more appropriate to describe the discipline as Political Sociology to avoid the inevitable charges of inconsistencies with the hypothetical proofs required by natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) and formal sciences (logic, mathematics)
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SteveG View Drop Down
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Points: 20617 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 06:55
It is if you interpret it that way. Wink
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Lewian View Drop Down
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Points: 15175 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 06:43
Political science is science in the sense of investigating scientifically how politics works, which is fine by me, although the term "science of politics" would make that clearer, I guess.
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Points: 16130 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blacksword Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2019 at 06:14
Is the very term 'political science' an oxymoron?

Politics is based very much on perspective and interpretation, rather like religious faith, and far less based in verified fact.

In science, a hypothesis is validated by factual data, and if the data doesn't support the hypothesis, the hypothesis is discarded. In politics the opposite is usually true. If a hypothesis is not not validated by data, the data is discarded, or the hypothesis re-written to fit the data.

Discuss. Nicely..
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