CONTENTS. Nature and scope of the treatise explained 3 Advantages of a scientific method of reasoning. 4 Purposes of a method of politics. 3 Man is alone a political animal 4 Peculiarities of man's nature, as compared with the other ani- 5 Limits of capacity for progressive improvement in animals- 6 Human society consists of numerous communities, each of a 38 Third eriod-from the beginning of the 18th century Unconnected character of political writings; want of a common 7 The connexion of politics with popular interests and feelings 8 Distinction between terminology and nomenclature in politics 10 Difficulty of rendering titles of offices, and other political Upon the Methods of Observation in Politics. § I Nature of the facts which are the subjects of observation in §3 Unassisted observation may be intentional or unintentional; Narration essential to history; definition of a narrative; difference between narration and description . . 117 Analogy between political history and other sorts of history; difference between historical and physical facts 120 II. Scientific department of political observation divided into positive and speculative. Observation in positive politics 123 Observation in speculative politics On the Applicability of the Method of Experiment § I Many questions in politics requiring solution by a decisive 2 Experiments in physics are of two sorts-viz., experiments of science and experiments of art; their difference explained 153 3 Purpose and limits of scientific experiment in physics 4 Scientific experiment is inapplicable to man.. 5 Circumstances in human nature which compensate for the im- 6 The experimental method would be no security against false 7 Men in society voluntarily change their positions, and thus pro- 8 Extraordinary national events serve the purpose of scientific Practical experiments in politics, compared with similar expe Practical experiments in politics often serve the purpose of scientific experiments, and establish general truths . . 176 Politics is an experimental science, if practical experiments are 13 Results of the chapter. 4 Hearsay evidence defined; its defects 5 Causes of the inferiority of hearsay to original evidence 7 Perpetuation of historical evidence in writing; historical evi- . Causes of unfaithful tradition of written evidence; careless transcription and intentional falsification Provided that the proper conditions are fulfilled, written his- Historical evidence, in order to be credible, ought to be written 15 Also by the introduction of imaginary speeches 13 Causes of departure from truth in history; personal interest, |