1POLITICAL SCIENCE 3020
INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY
COURSE OUTLINE
I. Introduction: What is Political Theory?
A. Politics and Political Theory
Political theory:
Attempts to provide a comprehensive normative vision of political life
Empirical
Normative
What is politics?
Activities concerned with the acquisition or exercise of authority in government
What does government do?
Establishes a framework of order that allows humans to fulfill their needs
What are human needs?
Approaches to political theory:
Reconstructed logic vs logic-in-use
Reconstructed logic
Logic-in-use
