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UNIT ONE: OUTPUTS OF THE SYSTEM
Day one: Introduction
Government comes from social and behavioral sciences.
Objective versus subjective
--Ethics: "good", "bad", "wrong","right"
--Aesthetics: beautiful, undesirable, etc.
Rational ------------vs ----------------- emotional
Fact------------------vs------------------ value
Think---------------vs ------------------- feel
→how not what you think
Ideology- how you think politically
Questions
Kenneth M. Dolbeare and Murray J Edelman. American Politics: Policies,
Power, and Change, 5th ed. 1985
What does it mean to be a critical thinker? (p.vi.)
"This book is critical, not in the sense of being a negative polemic or proceeding
from an alternative ideology. To be critical is to be self-consious about one's own values,
assumptions, and way of thinking. It clarifies concepts, rigorously examines evidence and
looks beyond the way that institutions and events present themselves, to search for underlying causes and
relationships. With this sort of critical approach, people learn analytical and
evaluative skills, not just facts. On this basis, we frankly encourage readers
to make their own judgements and interpretations."
Cf. "a critical stance." (p. 37-38)
"We believe that it is possible, and even necessary, to be both honestly
critical and frankly biased without sacrificing intellectual quality, rigor or
utility. The key lies in our conviction
that readers can and must become independent thinkers. It is our purpose in this
book to provide them with the tools to do so. A critical stance that points
out the culture-bound, self-congratulatory, and hence, limiting elements of
standard American beleifs is absolutely essential for
this purpose. Only then can people begin to analyze where power is located and
how and for whose benefit it is and can be used."
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