Particular Good We Built Reality with Jason Blakely
16 snips
Dec 8, 2020 Jason Blakely, an Associate Professor of Political Science at Pepperdine University and author of 'We Built Reality,' dives into the captivating intersection of social science and culture. He critiques naturalism in sociology, advocating for a more narrative-driven understanding of human experience. The conversation tackles polling complexities in political forecasting, explores the limitations of rational choice theory, and examines the historical roots of racial violence. Blakely's insights illuminate how societal narratives shape our perceptions of identity and justice.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Naturalism's Mechanistic Trap
- Naturalism treats human sciences like natural sciences and seeks law-like, variable-based explanations.
- This creates impersonal, mechanistic accounts that neglect meanings and cultural context.
Variables Can Be Misleading
- Demographic labels (e.g., woman, black) are thin variables that often lack explanatory content.
- Naturalists convert these into statistical propensities, obscuring rich cultural meanings.
Treat Polls As Snapshots Not Fate
- Use polling as sophisticated snapshotting, not deterministic forecasting.
- Avoid treating polls as outside the political process because reports can change behavior.
