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    The document discusses two approaches to political theory - the normative approach and the empirical approach. [1] The normative approach seeks to determine and prescribe values, while the empirical approach seeks to discover and describe facts. [2] The normative approach makes statements about what "ought to be", while the empirical approach makes statements about what "is". [3] Empirical statements can be observed and verified through sense experience, while normative statements express preferences or commitments that cannot be directly observed or verified.

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    Political Theory Notes. Approaches to Political Theory: Normative and Empirical Approaches

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    Approaches to Political Theory

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    The document discusses two approaches to political theory - the normative approach and the empirical approach. [1] The normative approach seeks to determine and prescribe values, while the empirical approach seeks to discover and describe facts. [2] The normative approach makes statements about what "ought to be", while the empirical approach makes statements about what "is". [3] Empirical statements can be observed and verified through sense experience, while normative statements express preferences or commitments that cannot be directly observed or verified.

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    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    364 views1 page

    Approaches To Political Theory

    Uploaded by

    OpenLearner
    The document discusses two approaches to political theory - the normative approach and the empirical approach. [1] The normative approach seeks to determine and prescribe values, while the empirical approach seeks to discover and describe facts. [2] The normative approach makes statements about what "ought to be", while the empirical approach makes statements about what "is". [3] Empirical statements can be observed and verified through sense experience, while normative statements express preferences or commitments that cannot be directly observed or verified.

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    APPROACHES TO POLITICAL THEORY – NORMATIVE AND EMPIRICAL

    The two approaches- normative and empirical belong to different times, differing in their nature
    and in their methodologies while addressing the political phenomenon.

    1. Broadly speaking, the empirical approach seeks to discover and describe facts whereas the
    normative approach seeks to determine and prescribe values.
    2. The empirical approach aims at making an empirical statement which is concerned with ‘is’
    whereas the normative approach aims at making a normative statement which is concerned
    with what ‘ought to be’ or ‘ should be’.
    3. The crucial point is that empirical statement is concerned with a situation which can be
    observed by our sense-experience, which can be verified by repeated observation and
    whose accuracy can be tested. On the other hand, a normative statement tends to express
    preference for a particular type of order as dictated by a sense of duty or universal need or
    by commitment to moral principle or ideal. Normative statements are not capable of being
    discovered, described or verified by our sense-experience.
    4. A normative statement requires something to be done in order to serve an intrinsic value-
    which is an end-in-itself (eg. the truth, the good, the beautiful). On the other hand, an
    empirical statement requiring something to be done is intended to serve an instrumental
    value – which is a means to some higher end (eg. ‘Do regular exercise to improve your
    health’). In short, it is the content of a statement, not its form, which makes it empirical or
    normative.
    5. The empirical approach remains largely descriptive while the normative approach is
    mainly prescriptive. Empirical approach seeks to discover laws that are unalterable (eg.
    Law of gravitational force). Hence, they are beyond man’s control; one can discover and
    describe them. Normative approach is concerned with laws and conditions largely created
    or adopted by human society, which are alterable (eg. Laws governing property and public
    order). One can examine how far they are morally right or wrong and then prescribe the
    right course.

    The champions of empirical approach have been very vocal in criticising the normative approach on
    the ground that there is no ‘scientifically valid’ or reliable method of determining what is morally
    right or wrong. The supporters of normative approach do not condemn the empirical approach as
    such, but they criticise its indifference towards values, particularly its ignorance of discrimination
    between higher and lower values.

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