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Q.

What is the nature of


Political Science?
The nature of Political Science can be assumed by the following two arguements 1) Arguements against the claim as Science (Political science as an art)
---> Political Science is not generally regarded as Science due to the following
reasons :
i) Definite method - Science strictly follows a methodology of study but
Political Science is so vast and complex that there is no definite method which can
be employed in the study of it.
ii) Experiments - Scientific methods are calculated and establised through
experiments but in the study of Political Science it is not possible to perform any
experiment.
iii) Features - Certainity, Order, Continuity are certain features of Science
but Political Science lack these features.
iv) Areas - Areas of science are fixed and definite while Political Science has
no definite area, scope and jurisdiction for its subject matters are neither fixed nor
state.
v) Testablility - If Political Science is a science, its results must be testable
by emperical evidence. But in most cases, this does not happen.
2) Arguements for the claim as Science.
---> Political Science is usually regarded as Science due to the following reasons.
i) Applicablity - Political Science can be treated as Science because
appliance of methods of investigation and obeservation in its study enriches the
knowledge. Form this, we can take a note of it applicable for being a Science.
ii) Analytical Comparability - Political Science has in its the advancement
due to processes of investigation, experience and comparative analysis and so it
can fittingly mentioned as a part of Science
iii) Formulations - It has been held that formulations of Political Science is
not basically pure or permanent,constant as in pure science. So there is hardly any
logic in regecting the claim of Political Science to be a science.

iv) Manner - Politics is no different than Science as in its study as of


systematic manner. Aristotle stated it as "Supreme Science"
v) Experimentation - Political Science has the ability of marking its methods
by experimentation which makes it the possibility of a Science as limit to certain
standards.

Conclusion :Its been a huge debate already as to if Political Science is an art or a science, but
from the above discussion it is crystal clear that Political Science can be accepted as
Science but should be remembered that it is not an science in the sesne of physics
and chemistry.
Plaxito - "Science is always enquiring, and so is Politics"
Bryce - "Political Science is an inexact science or an incomplete science or
a science in the making."

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