International Relations and Philosophy of Science

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Questions and Answers

In which publication can Niccoló Macciavelli's 'Il Principe' be found?

A History of International Relations Theory

The globalization of world politics

Classical Readings of International Relations (correct)

Leviathan

Who is the author of 'Leviathan', a classical reading in International Relations?

Rex Warner

Thomas Hobbes (correct)

Thucydides

Niccoló Macciavelli

What is the title of the 1996 publication by Andreas Osiander?

Introduction to International Relations

The interdependence of states and the theory of interstate relations (correct)

Classical and modern thought on International Relations

A History of International Relations Theory

Which publication is edited by John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens?

The globalization of world politics Signup and view all the answers

Who are the authors of 'Introduction to International Relations: Theories and Approaches'?

Robert Jackson and Georg Soerensen Signup and view all the answers

In which publication can Thucydides' 'History of the Peloponnesian War' be found?

Classical Readings of International Relations Signup and view all the answers

Who edited 'International Relations in Political Thought: Texts from the Ancient Greeks to the First World War'?

Brown, Chris/Nardin, Terry/Rengger, Nicholas Signup and view all the answers

What is the title of the 1997 publication by Torbjörn Knutsen?

A History of International Relations Theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the discipline of philosophy of science?

To understand what distinguishes scientific explanations and theoretical constructions Signup and view all the answers

What are the three types of assumptions that a philosophy of science is based on?

Ontological, epistemological, and methodological Signup and view all the answers

What is referred to as the 'theory or philosophy behind a theory of International Relations'?

Meta-theory Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics of assumptions in philosophy of science?

They are intellectual constructs of reality that are not subject to proof Signup and view all the answers

What is the origin of the concept of assumptions in philosophy of science?

Ancient Greek philosophy and logic Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of assumptions in theory building?

They serve as a starting point for deducing or inferring theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the nature of assumptions in philosophy of science?

They are not demonstrable by proof Signup and view all the answers

What is a similar concept to assumptions in philosophy of science?

Axiom Signup and view all the answers

What does the positivist account of science prioritize?

Epistemology over ontology Signup and view all the answers

What is the core epistemological position of positivism?

Empiricism Signup and view all the answers

What is the source of knowledge according to empiricism?

Sensory experience Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of scientific inquiry in the positivist account of science?

Observables Signup and view all the answers

What is the epistemological status given to the human mind in rationalism?

Privileged over sensory experience Signup and view all the answers

What is the requirement for theories and hypotheses in the positivist account of science?

They must be inductively proved Signup and view all the answers

Which historical tradition does empiricism draw upon?

Ancient Greek philosophy Signup and view all the answers

What is the opposite epistemological position to empiricism?

Rationalism Signup and view all the answers

When did the philosophy of science emerge as a recognizable field of study?

In the 1920s and 1930s Signup and view all the answers

Who was the holder of the first chair of 'History and Theory of Inductive Science' established in Vienna in 1895?

Ernst Mach Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a reason why philosophy of science has become attractive to the social sciences?

The complexity of social sciences Signup and view all the answers

What is the object studied in the philosophy of science discipline?

The nature and practice of science itself Signup and view all the answers

Who are associated with philosophical thought about the nature of science and scientific study in ancient Greece?

Democritus, Aristotle, and Plato Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of the progress of natural sciences in modern societies?

The improvement of everyday life Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the philosophy of science in International Relations?

It takes up different positions on fundamental questions about the nature of the subject to be studied Signup and view all the answers

When will we come back to the ideas of science inherent in the philosophy of ancient Greek philosophers?

In Unit 3 Signup and view all the answers

What is the study of the nature of being, existence, or reality in general?

Ontology Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between ontology, epistemology, and methodology?

They are three core elements of a philosophy of science Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an ontological claim?

Only material reality can be claimed to exist Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the study of how a 'universal' relates to a 'particular'?

Classical ontological problem Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of Step 2 in understanding the nature of a philosophy of science?

To demonstrate the core elements of a philosophy of science using positivism as an example Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of a philosophy of science?

The understanding of science and its underlying assumptions Signup and view all the answers

What is true about all systems of knowledge and the idea of knowledge about the world?

There are multiple accounts of what constitutes knowledge Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between different philosophies of science within the philosophy of science as an overall discipline?

There is always more than one account of what constitutes science Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Required Reading and Philosophy of Science

Required reading includes Thucydides' "History of the Peloponnesian War", Niccoló Machiavelli's "Il Principe", Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan", and other classical readings of international relations.
The philosophy of science emerged as a recognizable field of study in the 1920s and 1930s with the Vienna Circle and Karl Popper.
The formation of philosophy of science as an academic discipline can be traced back to the end of the 19th century.

Philosophy of Science and International Relations

Philosophy of science positions are often referred to as "meta-theory" or the theory behind a theory of international relations.
The object of study in philosophy of science is the nature and practice of science itself.
Any philosophy of science is based on three types of assumptions: ontological, epistemological, and methodological.

Assumptions in Philosophy of Science

Assumptions are propositions taken for granted and not subject to proof as "true" or "false".
Assumptions serve as a starting point for deducting or inferring theory to derive logical conclusions.
The idea of assumptions originates in ancient Greek philosophy and logic.

Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology

Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence, or reality in general.
Ontological questions include "What is there?", "What is?", and "What exists?"
Epistemology is the philosophical study of knowledge, and empiricism is a core epistemological position in positivism.
Methodology is the practice of science and the specific methods of gaining knowledge.

Empiricism and Positivism

Empiricism claims that there must be an empirical foundation for knowledge, and knowledge ultimately results from sensual observation and experience.
In the positivist account of science, only statements about phenomena that can be observed or experienced count as knowledge.
Theories and hypotheses are only acceptable if they can be inductively proved through experience and observation.

Historical Development of Empiricism

Empiricism was largely developed through British Empiricism and is associated with the works of Francis Bacon, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, David Hume, and Adam Smith.
Empiricism draws on a long historical tradition of philosophical thought that goes back to ancient Greece.

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Explore the foundations of international relations and philosophy of science through classical readings and key thinkers of the 20th century.