Situational logic

Situational logic (also situational analysis) is a concept advanced by Karl Popper in his The Poverty of Historicism. Situational logic is a process by which a social scientist tries to reconstruct the problem situation confronting an agent in order to understand that agent's choice.

Noretta Koertge (1975) provides a helpful clarificatory summary.

First provide a description of the situation:

:<nowiki>Agent A was in a situation of type C</nowiki>.

This situation is then analysed

:<nowiki>In a situation of type C, the appropriate thing to do is X.</nowiki>

The rationality principle may then be called upon:

<nowiki>agents always act appropriately to their situation</nowiki>

Finally we have the explanadum:

:<nowiki>(therefore) A did X.</nowiki>

Situational logic

Notes

References