summarising[1].pptx

7/28/2019 summarising[1].pptx

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How to summarise effectively


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Important steps in summarisinga) Read the whole text through once or twice

before writing anything down.b) Copy important sentences.

c) Ask questions about when the text was writtenand for what purpose in order to get a more

detached perspective on it.d) Find the main idea(s).

e) Take notes (or make a mind map).

f) When writing your summary, put aside the

original text and work from your notes, puttinginformation into complete sentences in yourown words.


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Summary 1

Contemporary political theory is not based on a scientific study ofhuman nature. Though human nature lay at the heart of thinking

about politics in ancient times, today's divisions between disciplinesensure that the extensive findings of scientific research in fieldssuch as evolutionary biology, experimental psychology and ethologyhave so far had little bearing on social science. Though there is anew subfield in political science known as biopolitics, most politicaltheory involves the study of the ideas and history of famous

political thinkers. Masters predicts that, in view of continualadvances in the natural sciences, a 'naturalist' perspective isappearing which will embrace the findings of contemporary biology.Research in this subject can throw light on many important aspectsof human nature that affect political behaviour. For example, theexistence of the centralised state may be linked to human

behaviour through the study of theories of natural selection.


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Summary 2

Biological research will sooner or later have abearing on political theory and behaviour. Thestudy of the way human beings behave and majordiscoveries in areas such as the mechanisms of

inheritance have led to the possibility of scientificfindings being adopted in theoretical andpractical politics. Though it might be thought thatsuch findings can be ideologically adopted,analysis indicates that this is not necessarily the

case. For example, evolutionary theory may becompatible with a wide diversity of political views(Masters, 1990).


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Summary 3

The study of political philosophy has been based on

the concepts of ancient Greek thinkers. As aresult, it has failed to draw on findings in a widerange of scientific fields which study humannature. This state of affairs is unlikely to continue,

as research in the life sciences makes it morepossible for us to manipulate the environmentand human behaviour. A 'naturalist' perspectivemay emerge which will view human politics froman angle based on findings in biological researchas well as traditional political thinking. Such abiological basis for political theory need not bepolitically biased (Masters, 1990).


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Summary 4

An excessively narrow focus in the field ofpolitical theory has ensured the exclusion ofvaluable insights from many scientific

disciplines. Findings in biology might have asignificant bearing on political thinking andpractice. They could illuminate understandingof human nature and its relation to political

systems (Masters, 1990).


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Summary 5

It is important to study human nature as well aspolitics. The ancient Greeks studied every kind ofsubject and made connections between onesubject and another in a way that is not possible

today. As the scientific study of human natureprogresses, it will be possible to make the kindsof connections between politics and humannature which the Greeks made. The significant

change will be that there will be a scientific basisto these connections as well as a theoretical one(Masters, 1990).


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Summary 6

Science and politics must be studied apart but the formermay have increasingly useful insights for politicaltheory and practice as its range of knowledge expands.Subjects such as neurophysiology, neurochemistry,experimental psychology and ecology can furnish

empirically based information about human nature.The subfield in political science known as biopolitics islikely to gain increasing acceptance. Eventually, it mightbe possible for changes in the environment and inhuman behaviour to be brought about through political

processes. Such changes will have a firm basis, unlikethe political theory that has so far been taught andstudied (Masters, 1990).


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Summary 7

The status of politics as a true science must be reinstated.Since ancient Greek times, it has not been consideredon an equal footing with subjects such as mathematics,chemistry and biology. With the widening of scientific

disciplines into increasingly specialised subjects, it islikely that a scientific study of politics will become theaccepted approach. Such a study will draw on thefindings of other subjects while remaining ideologicallyunbiased. It is through this approach that humansociety may eventually find a basis on which trulyaltruistic behaviour can be built (Masters, 1990).


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summarising[1].pptx

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