IS POLITICAL SCIENCE A SCIENCE OR AN ART

Political science is the study of governments, public policies, political processes, systems, and political behavior.

Science is the intellectual act encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experimentation.

Art refers to those other subjects that do not relate to the sciences. Some examples are history, government as a subject and literature.

Though political science, as the name suggests, is said to be a science, there has been so many arguments as to whether it really is a science or an art. Those who argue it to be an art say that although political scientists claim to do research, observe and experiment, they still fail to bring about precise and definite results as real scientists do.

They also claim that, scientific results are the same everywhere one goes on the planet, however, the same cannot be said for the results produced by political scientists. For instance though almost all countries have governments, each one of them defines it the way they see fit. The government of Ghana is quite different from that of Nigeria, although they may all practice democracy.

On the other hand, those who argue it to be a science say that, it is so because political scientists take time to study particular subjects, observe it for some time, and accurately come out with the results just as scientists do.

Aristotle called politics the master science because he recognized how wide and pervasive politics is. He also said that, politics is a practical science since it is concerned with the noble action or happiness of the citizens. Again, he said that, it resembles a productive science in that, it seeks to create, preserve and reform political systems.

Considering all facts, I believe that political science is indeed a science and this is discussed below.

First of all, Political scientists study the way people organize their societies, whether neighborhoods, nations, or the world community. For instance, there could be a particular law in a society that so many people in one way or the other disobey. Political scientists can therefore study that law and come up with the reason why people react negatively to it.

Also, Political scientists study political systems from every angle, looking into their birth, growth, and operation. For example, some survey the public about their political opinions, through interviewing people especially prior to elections to know what they think about the government in power and what they think about those in opposition. By so doing, knowing which political party will win in the elections. Others can even use mathematical methods to analyze political results.

Again, Political science is a science, as it is a study of the interaction of human behaviour. Just as Science uses collective data to bring about rational facts, so does political science. Political scientists obtain this collective data by carrying out experiments, observation and systematic study of events that take place over a period of time. Political science uses different methodology to determine facts concerning humans and their interactions with forces such as laws, conventions, norms and customs that govern or rule them.

Moreover, political scientists, through thorough experimentations and over-time study can make predictions. For instance, if a particular political party in a country always contests in an election and loses; political scientists can conduct a study on that party and find out as to why people prefer other political parties to that one and predict its fate in the next elections.

Finally, even though political scientists take time in studying and observing events, the results should not necessarily be 100% because after all, scientists such as obstetricians sometimes make mistakes as to when a woman is due to give birth. Chemists sometimes mix drugs that end up killing people who take them and physicians also prescribe wrong doses sometimes. If therefore such people are considered to be scientists, then it justifies the fact that political science is indeed a science.

Political science is indeed a science because as scientists, political scientists use methods such as observation, experimenting, systematic study of things over time and are able to come up with results that are most of the time, factual and accurate.