Does Political Theory Still Exist Is there still such a subject as political theory This - PDF document

systematic parricide history of question before relevant consideration of problems which men have succeeded obtaining clear first have principle, if always in practice) by inference from domains of and of everyday common simple questions about whether there kind of the intentions of structure of matter, behaviour of international markets; must rest observation of spatio-temporal world. 'organised observation'. crucial for science and theory of knowledge, generalisations and sophisticated sciences data of inspection type of question which we can hope obtain clear called axioms, rules for deducing from them, I can my questions will invalid according of a given have been correctly observation of fact, nowadays expected provide information whether or not in providing it. Mathematics and formal logic are, of of formal of this theories of in general, applications of formal methods which govern such methods of answering questions may very generally, denominated empirical and formal. characteristics of both least these: even if we do not know a given question, we know kinds of methods we know what kinds of answers these questions, even if Soviet system evidence for answer and image in stand still?' I much better plight with tional questions which have probably been asked dawn of world begin?' and, following happened before but then am trying ask; for certainly puzzled can I past?' or, justice objective, absolute etc.?' method of settling surest hallmarks of a for this all these questions puzzled from very outset, recognised expertise, for dealing sure how to the truth, rejecting earlier answers these questions. induction (in its widest sense of scientific observation (appropriate empirical inquiries), problems) seem do feel about how we human thought perhaps a truism) gradual shuffling of all men ask clear and acquire universal have invented, a radiant sun that, from time when they down, acquire a firm structure of own and acquire independent careers as tidy regular planets; but the central its path, vitality of directly connected with of concern relation of question of to an clearly not sufficient being a recognised science. normal health certainly a valuation, and although universal consensus health, a normal state, this concept, intrinsic element of anatomy, pathology, etc. Pursuit (and moral) factor creating and promoting these may determine which subject have been ardently attended to; but in the of history mentioned in historical so clear, universally accepted, 'objective' a value that of of health extruded from structure of even more conspicuous attempts, from to our (particularly persistent and numer- ous in eighteenth century), found objective of ethics universally accepted values, of methods discovering them, have met with little success; relativism, values, keep most typical entail questions of value? on the independent status, remain only of thought? problems which form traditional political for instance, of equality, of rights, law, of these function in into what in what fundamental of all political should anyone men obey?' anthropology andsociology when and which could perhaps of evidence from these a man should we are asking for explanation of normative in such notions as sovereignty, liberty, and justification of political arguments. name of which fought, new priorities and ultimate a society in which total acceptance of any a variety of for this: single end has been accepted a sufficient number persons; because end can as ultimate, since can, in principle, exist values may end can pursue many distinct none of means to, another; and must, even in principle, one another. Unless political can be pursued consistently only in a tially pluralist, however abstract, itself a critical approach assumptions under distinction remains purely academic. Rigid monism philosophical analysis plight of conclusive concrete this clearer. we could construct a universally (or that the maintain health agreed about constitutes health) that there a technocratic richest realisation a utilitarian any other plainly all first place can command divine will, national question of kind of conduct incarnate it. so 'monolithic' no gap between its purpose and means towards a gap to the a pluralism of recognition of which a technocratic or authoritarian structure of monistic situation entirely a figment deviation from may involve disastrous in battles, surgical operating wholly concrete, varying interpretations of of place, and all a means towards of totalitarian demanding ruthless elimination of all interpretations, forms of concrete, immediate end, everyone, which ends and narrow and clearly definable that it is easy sanctions for failing find roads such a society to into the knowledge, gifts and probity, of which whatever its should expect study of best results, society would can be and so may become result of careful studies human thought and behaviour; and general character doubtful; otherwise will creep political sciences and inject what can only called philosophical of principle) of being resolved by Differences of interpre- about the applied science, greater part, of 'ideological foundation'. such a for such a not, even then, a sufficient too stand those twentieth-century heirs of romanticism, with their in the free self-commitment forms of life determined agent choosing freely; such choice not take account of objective standards, since form of 'false consciousness', such figments is psychologically of being abandoned, left claiming objective spurious theological metaphysical cosmologies undertake to validity of moral intellectual rules and from here, as those dominates history, and those indeterminists those troubled rationalists of discovering human nature of men and their human nature which entails such concepts will, choice, with their perpetual opening of enters into very definition of what we position adopted those modern Marxists who, in more popular doctrine, have of their of conduct of their and others this conception to their picture of but almost always, and thought or mechanistic, organic, aesthetic, logical, mystical, shaped form of behaviour. A man who, like Aristotle or Thomas in terms of purpose, and a hierarchy or an character of which must on the kind of a demiurge, which freedom and self-fulfilment lie in the the nature of the through their creators (something of this kind emanated from of Fichte, Nietzsche and other thinkers, as well Marx, who aesthetico-biological models); some all rules fetters, even free creative spirit a doctrine of which too much. model itself product of historical (and psychological) consequences of productive of purely Freud and study of myths, rationalisations, patterns of many kinds, has become fertile preoccupation of fundamental assumption underlying this approach 'ideological' model product of disguise itself in rational but, given political thinkers, however, primary question conditions of growth, but validity and distort reality? Does real differences fictitious ones? Does invent, deceive? of scientific of validity include increase in the power of (or more refined) prediction control of empirical in sense? Machiavelli, in differing degrees Hobbes, if this one of famous doctrine of adequate account of achievements of logical positivists theorists of if not, to the notion of a commonplace observation can be accommodated have been political philosophy, of faith, agesof total general outlook: scepticism, cynicism, refusal in abstract for theorising, all thevarieties are, of course, themselves metaphysical committal attitudes. existentialists have have made this fact of human neutrality in studies must another, and bear criticism. cluster of phenomena think in terms of its hoary platitude. and analogies sphere and and action, or not, experience itself- would All language and in this once they made conscious turn out to most discredited contract, patriarchalism, must have started with initial validity have had analogy powerful enough concepts of generations can have been wholly or the the German notion of family nexus relationships between common habits which had been misrepresented assimilation of on the experienced events, 'inner' that get in the and thither, times, hypnotised fragments of form a part of none too drag them into the light purpose of clarification may has often and quite justly been charged against political best, does this dangerous power. ultimate test and act only test sciences afford, namely, general lines which we think and then the always must direct confrontation concrete data of tion and introspection which these concepts render intelligible. political theory, like form of in what still remains ourselves did above) most hold applied beyond we set justifying this charge? we know that the universal application of a and superstructure, or the it to ignore something directly of what we what we rigid dogma; view of men are, have we know these things? we know what adequate programme for human given historical Is it even theological? different from ours? Hume, such knowledge must be laws of history, of of natural new synthesis of people supposed that truth these matters a faculty which perception of they had been told their parents from one other of many sources this sort effectively. Some (and perhaps these have majority) felt such questions justified indignation in a inquiry and its greatest triumph, this monstrous muddle could cleared away strong new broom scientific method a similar chaos long ago in the Galileo and reason and for ever dark muttering of the the thunder hysterical shrieks obscurantist. All declared, was motto of the new method; all inspection of would answer century to particularly moral politics because conception of human, and this question of fact, nor the product of reflection upon specific discoveries of anthro- although all these to an adequate notion particular groups of conscious idea human and not human terms of which distinguishing them, even most degraded them, not explicit thought, but in in our action, from know men His argument model had but that inadequate not on a failure we mean purpose, value, personality and with the naturalistic tradition, political morality a low opinion doctrines of are not complaining merely empirical ignorance poor logic insufficient experimental relationships between them and them men; they complain not to constant characteristics of right or, for systematic self-transmutation their own they regard notion of man criticisms relate adequacy of categories in terms of which discuss men's permanent framework which, ordinary empirical disagreements these categories? do we and unchanging they enter into and terms of which what they and how do we reconcile these various philosophical questions, and not about the data of experience working of methods, analogies, behaviour of these empirical sense do) ultimately empirical: degree of forming a coherent and apply these and methods think about them us as Political categories (and values) part of inescapable web change only a result of from reality on the part of say, madness. (with their corresponding concepts) in terms which we define men such notions change, suffering, right and as a to bring all these notions of someone that he a man, nothing to him, would as a of verbal definition (which as intrinsic 'brute' fact) evidently cannot but too (among terms of which men that he remains human in find a man to whom literally makes kicks a an antidote like consistent to him merely a different morality from my and inhumanity; mad, as mad; which a way such a being as being fully a man of this kind, which recognise universal -values enters such fundamental concepts as 'man', 'rational', 'natural' etc. of as descriptive not evaluative of modern translations empirical terms of in the natural law followers of doctrines of Wittgenstein, have shaken empiricists in gulf between descriptive statements statements of on the from Hume. state as a divine institution, what their mean and how they nor what those believe that the only for through which must go and free and can work of a utilitarian or the incarnation of natural law; a committee of the highest stage of criminal we understand effort of imaginative insight such novelists usually in a nature (or incorporated in these in each we shall not understand any human neither the which governed Christian Democrats today; very different image in which very different notions a platitude understanding human and action in large measure understanding they strive formal, have been conceived of models of reality and stable them to we understand problems and difficulties attempted solutions explicit reference governing categories; for being common and to cultures remote from not obtrude of sight. notionsof which were compounded knowledge and imagination transpose ourselves states of mind the now the thoughts and their centre remain opaque perform this difficult operation marks much of a superficial literary catalogue of strange, times almost incomprehensible, errors not matter too much in empirical and formal where the can accept in political with one another, but, inasmuch as each rests on a of permanent human attributes and some in- of Plato, all survive today in a variety empirical knowledge gained which will revolutionise of these they are, debate will in terms set and others like will gain influence as events force this even feel question (although this difference explicitly present borderline questions frequent enough), in this main political doctrines of philosophical speculations much relation degree re-enact mind of men tormented solutions uncritically them, fall state of insecurity and anxiety only these of grasping political doctrines, have played any rate work of past has receded because been superseded. But there something absurd in Kant's aesthetics they have consideration alone facile assimilation this line of argument that we political doctrines biblical ethics, intrinsic element in western now have as remote from us as emotions towards the errors or medieval mapmakers? may be conditioned circumstances mainly control, and perhaps whatever may in fact a gratuitous abdication of of reasoning a confusion of want to know what implications of such what their what criteria we have think them true or on the that one one can under- not merely as product of occult factors which cannot, in case, be as rational curiosity for justification and terms of only of statistical probabilities political theory earth, however many of its as sociology, science, economics, jurisprudence, semantics, may claim its imaginary a strange paradox political theory should when, for first time has always this branch story. Neo- Marxism, neo-Thomism, nationalism, historicism, existentialism, essentialist liberalism transpositions of doctrines of rights and empirical terms, discoveries made derived from economic and related techniques to political behaviour, action of these death of a anything, new and unpredictable