Individually lucky, collectively powerful: a response to friends. Issue 2 (4th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dowding, Keith
• Is Part Of: Journal of political power. Volume 14:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 340
• Page End: 362
• Publication Date: 2021-05-04
• Subjects: Collective action -- concepts -- manipulation -- models -- power; Power (Social sciences) -- Periodicals; Power (Philosophy) -- Periodicals; 303.305
• DOI: 10.1080/2158379X.2021.1901197
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2158-379X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper responds to commentators on the reissue of Keith Dowding, Rational Choice and Political Power . I discuss how powerlessness depends upon collective action problems, the nature of systematic luck, and their interaction with individual responsibility. I defend measurement in conceptual analysis, discuss vagueness and ambiguity and the incoherence of some social concepts. I defend power as a simple notion whose context suggest different extensions. I discuss the conceptual and predictive use of models. I defend 'rationality' as consistency which stands for lawlike regularity. Finally, I discuss the problems raised with my account of persuasion in terms of manipulation.