Comparative Politics POSC015 UCR Midterm Study Guide

comparative politics

the study of political phenomena that occur predominantly within countries

International Politics

the study of political phenomena that occur predominantly between countries

Argument

set of logically connected statements, typically in the form of a set of premises and a conclusion

Categorical Syllogism

a specific type of argument that consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion

comparative method

most common method of inductive research in comparative politics // Mill's Method

conclusion (in an argument)

a claim that is thought to be supported by the premises

critical test

allows the analyst to use observation to distinguish between two or more competing explanations of the same phenomena

deductive approach to learning

formulating an expectation about what we ought to observe in light of a particular theory about the world and then sets out to see if observation is consistent with that theory

falsifiable

potentially testable -- there must be some imaginable observation that could falsify or refute them

falsificationism

approach to science in which scientists generate or 'deduce' testable hypotheses from theories designed to explain phenomena or interest

inductive approach to learning

starts with a set of observations and then tries to ascertain a pattern in the observations that can be used to generate an explanation for the observations

invalid argument

if you accept the premises, you are free to accept or reject the conclusion

Method of Agreement

compares cases that "agree" in regard to the phenomenon to be explained

Method of Difference

compares cases that "disagree" in regard to the outcome to be explained

necessary condition

a circumstance in whose absence the phenomenon in question cannot occur

premise

a statement that is presumed to be true within the context of an argument leading to a conclusion

scientific method

describe the process by which scientists learn about the world

sufficient condition

a circumstance in whose presence the phenomenon in question must occur

tautology

a statement that is true by definition

theory

a set of logically consistent statements that tell us why the thing that we observe occur (model or an explanation)

uniformity of nature

asserts that nature's operating mechanisms are unchanging in the sense that if X cause Y today, then it will always.

valid argument

if you accept the premises, you are compelled to accept the conclusion

backward induction

process of reasoning backward, from the end of the game or situation to the beginning, in order to determine an optimal course of action

branches

represent the actions that can be taken at choice nodes

choice node

point in an extensive form game at which player must choose an action

exit

you accept that there has been a negative change in your environment, and you alter your behavior to achieve the best outcome possible given your new environment

extensive form game

players can make their choices sequentially

game

situation in which n individual's ability to achieve her goals depends on the choices made by the other actors

game theory

a fundamental tool for analyzing strategic situations

game tree

the entire specification of choice nodes, branches, and payoffs that compares an extensive form game

initial node

represent the actions that can be taken at choice nodes

loyalty

you accept the fact that your environment has changed and make no change to your preexisting behavior

normal, or strategic, form game

players make their choices simultaneously

payoffs

in a game, indicate how the players value each of the possible outcomes

politics

comprises the subset of human behavior that involves the use of power or influence

strategic situation

the choices of one actor depend on the choices made by any other actors

subgame perfect equilibrium

important solution concept for EFGs in which all actors do the best they can at every point where they could possibly make a decision

voice

you use your 'voice' to try to change the environment back to its original condition

best reply

indicate the choices that are "best" for each of the possible choices that the other player might make

cardinal payoffs

allow us to know how much more the players prefer one outcome to another

civil right

does not arise naturally / created by the state through laws

contractarian view of the state

sees the creation of the state as resulting from a social contract between individuals in the state of nature in which the state provides security in exchange for obedience from the citizen

discount factor

tells us the rate at which future benefits are discounted compared with today's benefits; in effect, it tells us how much people value the future

dominant strategy

if that strategy is a best reply to all of the other player's strategies

dominant-strategy Nash equilibrium

occurs when both players have a dominant strategy

failed state

a state-like entity that cannot coerce and is unable to successfully control the inhabitants of a given territory

Nash equilibrium

a combination of strategies, one for each player, such that each player in the game would not want to unilaterally change her strategy given the strategy adopted by the other player

nation

a group of people who share some sort of common identity like a languages religion, an ethnicity, or a shared history

nation-state

state in which a single nation predominates and the legal, social, demographic, and geographic boundaries of the state are connected in important ways to that nation.

natural right

universal right that is inherent in the nature of living beings / can exist in the state of nature

ordinal payoffs

allow us to know how a player ranks the possible outcomes; they do not tell us how much more a player prefers one outcome to another

payoff table/payoff matrix

represents the strategies and payoffs available to players in strategic, or normal, form games

predatory view of the state

holds that states that exercise an effective control over the use of violence are in a position to threaten the security of citizens / they have a duty to protect

preference ordering

indicates how a player ranks the possible outcomes of a game

present value

tells us how much this stream of future benefits is worth to us today

social contract

an implicit agreement among individuals in the state of nature to create and empower the state / outlines the rights and responsibilities of the state and the citizens in regard to each other

state

uses coercion and the threat of force to rule in a given territory

state of nature

used to describe situations in which there is no state

strategy

specifies the choices that are made by a player at every point in a game where that player has a choice to make