Chart 1: The
Ten Levels of Scientific Methodology
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|
1.1 Philosophical foundations:
Tasks and limits,
axiological, epistemic, methodological and ontological assumptions, conditions or criteria as well as ideals and proper-ties of
scientific research |
1.1.1 Philosophical level
(1) |
A. Tasks and objectives of scientific research
B. Limits of scientific research
C. Axiological, epistemic, methodological and
ontological assumptions of (political) scientific
research |
1.1.2 Knowledge level
(2):
general conditions or general (core) criteria of knowledge |
General postulates of
rationality:
A. Intersubjectivity
B. Objectivity
C. Reliability
D. Validity |
1.1.3 Level of
ideals and properties (3)
of scientific research |
Ideals
|
Properties |
A. Truth
B. Rightness (Ethics)
C. Justice (Politics)
D. Phronesis (Pragmatic)
E. Efficacy (Technical) |
A. True/False
B. Right/Wrong
C. Just/Unjust
D. Wise/Unwise
E. Effective/Ineffective |
|
1.2 Scientific tools
|
1.2.1
Concept level (4) |
Scientific concepts |
| 1.2.2
Proposition
level (5) |
Scientific proposition
(truth-apt propositions, not truth-apt norms, i.e. justice standards, pragmatic or technical rules) |
| 1.2.3
Theory level (6) |
Scientific theories |
| 1.2.4 Logic level (7) |
Formal inference and
inference rules related to
scientific concepts and scientific sentences |
|
1.2.5
Argumentation level (8)
|
Argumentation inside
scientific theories or logical structure of scientific arguments (logic of
research) |
| 1.2.6
Methods level (9) |
Scientific
investigation of facts and judgements,
generation and evaluation of facts |
| 1.2.7
Methodical approaches level (10) |
Scientific generation
of theories |
|
Chart 2: Three Traditions
and Ten Levels of Political Methodology |
|
Scientific methodologies and types of
science |
I. Descriptive tradition:
empirical-descriptive methodology (sciences) |
II. Explanatory-Prognostic Tradition:
empirical-explanative and empirical-prognostic methodology
(sciences) |
III. Practical tradition:
practical (normative, pragmatic and technical) methodology
(sciences) |
|
1. Axiological and ontological level |
Descriptions:
description of (visible) phenomena,
interpretation of symbols (text, image, audio and
video), especially by means of language |
Explanations and predictions:
recognition and explanation of invisible
causalities using especially
logic and mathematics |
Valuations:
world change, Design of the Political Order,
practical (normative, pragmatic and technical) standards (norms) and
regulations using logic, language and mathematics
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|
2. Epistemical level |
Empirical-descriptive
knowledge
|
Empirical-explanatory and empirical-predictive knowledge |
Practical (normative, pragmatic and technical) knowledge |
|
3. Level of ideals and
properties |
Ideal of truth
Predicates: true or false |
Ideal of rightness (ethics): right/wrong
Ideal of justice (politics): just/unjust
Ideal of phronesis (Klugheit): wise/unwise
Ideal of efficacy: effective/ineffective |
|
4. Concept level |
Qualitative, interpretative
or classificatory concepts
|
Quantitative, mathematical
or metric concepts |
Practical (normative, pragmatic and technical) concepts |
|
5. Proposition
level |
Descriptive propositions
|
Explanatory and
predictive propositions |
Norms, i.e. justice standards, pragmatic and technical rules |
|
6. Theory level |
Empirical theories consist of systems of propositions,
including propositions about standards and rules. |
Practical theories consist of regulations, i.e. systems of empirical
statements and
practical standards and regulations. |
7. Logic level
Formal inference and inference rules related to
scientific concepts and scientific sentences |
Truth-apt logic:
Propositional logic: It is the case, that [...]
Predicate
logic: F "is a human".
Modal logic, e.g. alethic modal logic:
It is necessary/impossible/possible/contingent that [...]
Epistemic logic: It is known/is epistemically
necessary/is inconsistent that […]
Doxastic logic: It is believed/considered
impossible/conceivable that [...]
Tense logic: It was/will be/always will be/always was the
case that [...]
Deontic logic (is-ought, Sein-Sollen):
It ought to be/it is forbidden/permitted/indifferent that [...] |
Unlike classical logic, these are not truth-apt
(Jørgensen's dilemma). Logic of Norms (act-ought, Tun-Sollen, not is-ought,
Sein-Sollen), logic of imperatives, interrogative
logic, legal logic, logic of implementation
(Durchführungslogik).
Efficacy and rightness, Prima-facie property of ethical norms and
political maxims of action.
Conflicts of justice standards and mediation of justice standards.
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|
8. Argumentation level
Argumentation inside scientific theories or logical structure of
scientific arguments, logic of scientific research
|
Analytical, dialectical, empirical, evolutionary
or hermeneutic means of argumentation |
Practical (normative, pragmatic and technical) argumentation |
Explaining-understanding-debate
thought of as complementary |
Practical, substantive argumentation:
practical syllogism and
pragmatic syllogism
|
|
Understanding |
Explaining |
Abductive, inductive,
substantial, warrant-using, tentative, formally invalid, epagogical
argumentation:
Hegelian dialectics,
hermeneutic circle
|
Deductive, analytical,
warrant-establishing,
conclusive, formally valid argumentation:
deductive-nomological
model (or HO scheme),
evolutionary explanatory model |
|
Aristotelian topic (dialectics) |
|
9. Methods level
with reference to political science.
Scientific investigation of facts and judgements,
generation and evaluation of facts.
|
Empirical-descriptive methods
|
Empirical-explanatory and empirical-predictive methods |
practical (normative, pragmatic and technical) methods |
Qualitative methods:
content analysis,
document analysis,
participatory observation |
Quantitative methods:
quantitative data collection,
correlation and
regression analyses |
Arguing, discourse,
deliberation, mediation, synopsis,
categorical imperative,
evaluation, implementation planning,
technology assessment (TA) |
|
Triangulation: The application quantitative and qualitative methods on a
phenomenon. |
10. Methodical
approaches level
with reference to political science
Generation and evaluation of
theories |
Approaches with empirical and practical elements |
|
Socio-technological, synoptic, practical-normative,
critical-dialectical, empirical-normative,
argumentative and pragmatic approach, rational choice approach,
advocacy coalition approach, governance approaches, actor-centered
approaches (decision arenas, networks, exchange and negotiation
systems, regimes) |
|
Empirical approaches |
Practical approaches |
Historical, institutional
and structuralist approach,
narratives, frames, discourses |
Behavioural,
functional and
quantitative approach |
Participatory policy approach,
decisionist, synoptic,
normative, pragmatic and
technical approach
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