IDEAL-TYPE
Charles François (2004). IDEAL-TYPE, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1605.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1605 ▶ |
| Object type | Epistemology, ontology or semantics, Methodology or model |
- “An abstraction which emphasizes certain properties which are felt to be distributed among real-world entities, and emphasizes them in such a way as to produce a highly directive and normative model” (J.W. SUTHERLAND, 1973, p.44).
According to SUTHERLAND, “The model is directive (if not operationally, at least experimentally) in that it provides the major premises from which some logical conclusions may be drawn” (Ibid).
The use of ideal-types is subjacent to any taxonomy: “… an ideal-type is one element in an array of ideal-types which, as a set, constitutes a proper taxonomy”.(Ibid., p.45).
One should always be careful not to confuse ideal-types for the entities they represent. For the way ideal-types are constructed, see KORZYBSKI's Structural differencial (1950).
Of course, in SUTHERLAND's words: “…taxonomies and ideal-types are themselves theories” (p.68).
SUTHERLAND distinguishes mechanical and organic ideal-types (p.97).