Concepts Ill know it when I see it Department of Government London - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Concepts Ill know it when I see it Department of Government London - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Oct 08, 2022 283 likes •776 views

Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions Concepts Ill know it when I see it Department of Government London School of Economics and Political Science Concepts Classical Approach Family

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Concepts

“I’ll know it when I see it”

Department of Government London School of Economics and Political Science

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Goal for Today

Develop the ability to formally and precisely define “concepts” using two common approaches to concept definition, and beginning thinking about how to assess the quality of competing definitions

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

1 Concepts 2 Concepts: Classical Approach 3 Concepts: Family Resemblance 4 Evaluating Concept Definitions

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

1 Concepts 2 Concepts: Classical Approach 3 Concepts: Family Resemblance 4 Evaluating Concept Definitions

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Concepts

Definition: The words and ideas that we use to describe the world

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Concepts

Definition: The words and ideas that we use to describe the world Why do we care?

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Concepts

Definition: The words and ideas that we use to describe the world Why do we care?

We cannot theorize a phenomenon until we know what it is

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Concepts

Definition: The words and ideas that we use to describe the world Why do we care?

We cannot theorize a phenomenon until we know what it is We cannot agree on or debate measure

  • f things until we share a definition of

what we’re trying to measure

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Concepts

Definition: The words and ideas that we use to describe the world Why do we care?

We cannot theorize a phenomenon until we know what it is We cannot agree on or debate measure

  • f things until we share a definition of

what we’re trying to measure Problem Set 1 is due soon

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Concepts are useful because they distinguish things from other things. In particular, they:

1 Resolve ambiguity 2 Avoid vagueness

This allows us to talk precisely about phenomena without confusion or cross-talk.

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Ogden & Richard’s Triangle1

Label Meaning Cases

1Richards, I.A., and Ogden, C.K. 1923 The Meaning of Meaning.

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Quick Brainstorm

What are some important political science concepts?

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Quick Brainstorm

What are some important political science concepts?

Democracy Inequality Populism Extremist Nation Opinion Values Ideology War Liberty Political party Immigrant Social movement Authoritarianism Development

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Approaches to Concept Definition Two common approaches:

1 Classical Approach 2 Family Resemblance

There are other ways to define concepts but these are the most important.

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Simple Boolean Logic

AND: necessity

Represented by ∧ For attributes required for a given instance be considered a member of the concept’s set

OR: sufficiency

Represented by ∨ For attributes optional for a given instance be considered a member of the concept’s set

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

1 Concepts 2 Concepts: Classical Approach 3 Concepts: Family Resemblance 4 Evaluating Concept Definitions

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Classical Approach

Specify a set of “constitutive dimensions” that are the concept

Fundamental characteristics of the concept Not causes or effects Not measures of the concept

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Classical Approach

Specify a set of “constitutive dimensions” that are the concept

Fundamental characteristics of the concept Not causes or effects Not measures of the concept

Dimensions are individually necessary and jointly sufficient for a case to be a member of the concept set

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Dahl’s Definition of Democracy

Two dimensions Both necessary and jointly sufficient

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Dahl’s Definition of Democracy

Two dimensions Liberalization (Public contestation) Inclusiveness (Participation) Both necessary and jointly sufficient

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Dahl’s Definition of Democracy

Two dimensions Liberalization (Public contestation) Inclusiveness (Participation) Both necessary and jointly sufficient Without liberalization: “inclusive hegemony”

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Dahl’s Definition of Democracy

Two dimensions Liberalization (Public contestation) Inclusiveness (Participation) Both necessary and jointly sufficient Without liberalization: “inclusive hegemony” Without inclusiveness: “competitive oligarchy”

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Questions?

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Define the concept of “chair”

Image Source: Wikimedia by User:Dori

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

1 Concepts 2 Concepts: Classical Approach 3 Concepts: Family Resemblance 4 Evaluating Concept Definitions

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Family Resemblance

Classical approach focuses on necessity Some concepts have no necessary elements but are still meaningful

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Family Resemblance

Classical approach focuses on necessity Some concepts have no necessary elements but are still meaningful We might also think about elements that are individually or jointly sufficient to establish membership

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Complex Boolean Logic

Jointly necessary and sufficient:

Rule of Law ∧ Equality

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Complex Boolean Logic

Jointly necessary and sufficient:

Rule of Law ∧ Equality

Jointly necessary w/ insufficient attributes

Rule of Law ∧ (Equality ∨ Elections)

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Complex Boolean Logic

Jointly necessary and sufficient:

Rule of Law ∧ Equality

Jointly necessary w/ insufficient attributes

Rule of Law ∧ (Equality ∨ Elections)

Simple family resemblance logic:

(Equality ∨ Elections)

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Complex Boolean Logic

Jointly necessary and sufficient:

Rule of Law ∧ Equality

Jointly necessary w/ insufficient attributes

Rule of Law ∧ (Equality ∨ Elections)

Simple family resemblance logic:

(Equality ∨ Elections)

Complex family resemblance logic:

(Rule of Law ∧ Participation) ∨ (Equality ∧ Elections)

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Equality Elections Rule

  • f Law

Democracy

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Questions?

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Example: Define “game”

Image Sources

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

1 Concepts 2 Concepts: Classical Approach 3 Concepts: Family Resemblance 4 Evaluating Concept Definitions

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Other Approaches

Two most common ways to think about concepts

Classical approach (emph. necessity) Family resemblance (emph. sufficiency)

These are useful when defining things

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Other Approaches

Two most common ways to think about concepts

Classical approach (emph. necessity) Family resemblance (emph. sufficiency)

These are useful when defining things Other approaches might be useful when defining processes

Mansbridge’s definitions of representation First, Second, and Third faces of power In LT: notions of causality

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Trade-offs in Definitions

Intension (More attributes)

Low High

Extension (More cases)

Low High

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Trade-offs in Definitions

Intension (More attributes)

Low High

Extension (More cases)

Low High

N e c e s s a r y

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Trade-offs in Definitions

Intension (More attributes)

Low High

Extension (More cases)

Low High

S u ffi c i e n t

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Trade-offs in Definitions

Intension (More attributes)

Low High

Extension (More cases)

Low High

N e c e s s a r y S u ffi c i e n t

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Gerring’s Criteria

1 Resonance 2 Domain/scope 3 Consistency 4 Fecundity 5 Differentiation 6 Causal utility 7 Operationalization (next week)

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

Questions?

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Concepts Classical Approach Family Resemblance Evaluating Concept Definitions

In Sum

We need to know what we’re talking about before we can study anything empirically Concept vary in their usefulness and are

  • ften contestable

Many ways to define and evaluate the quality of concepts

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Rugby: flickr user Paddy-K https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Jonny_Wilkinson_2009_08_england_training_2.jpg Chess: Wikimedia user MichaelMaggs https://commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/File%3AOpening_chess_position_from_black_side.jpg Gameboy: Public domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGameboy.jpg Cribbage: Wikimedia user Aerion https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:120-hole_cribbage_board.jpg Cards: Public domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AEuchre.jpg Tug of war: Wikimedia user Johnmoore6 https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Irish_600kg_euro_chap_2009.JPG Return to Images

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images/chair: Wikimedia user Dori https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chair_5709.jpg images/throne: Wikimedia user Badseed https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ottoman_throne.jpg images/beanbag: Wikimedia user Pava https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22_12_-_ITALY_-_Pouf_ Tuffet_Sacco_di_Zanotta_red_armchair_Triennale_Design_Museum.jpg images/kneelingchair: Wikimedia user TonyTheTiger https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deluxe_kneeling_chair.jpg images/bench: Wikimedia user 4028mdk09 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Holzbank_mit_schmiedeeisener_R%C3%BCckenlehne.JPG images/trainseat: Wikimedia user Lover Of Romance https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Green-Car%27s_Seat_of_JR_215.JPG images/hermanmiller: Wikimedia user Luiscarlosrubino https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Mirra_Chair_by_Studio_7.5_-_Herman_Miller.jpg images/wc: Public Domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wc1.jpg images/stool: Wikimedia user Chatsam https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Pied_d%27%C3%A9l%C3%A9phant_marche_pied.jpg Return to Images

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Return to Slides Image Sources