Favorable Conditions to Epistemic Validity in Deliberative Experiments: A Methodological Assessment

Journal of Public Deliberation, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2012

22 Pages Posted: 23 Oct 2013

See all articles by Didier Caluwaerts

Didier Caluwaerts

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Juan Ugarriza

Universidad del Rosario

Date Written: April 1, 2012

Abstract

Methodological evaluations of deliberative mini-publics usually focus on the internal and external validity of experimental designs. Even though such a focus on causal inference and generalization is important, it is incomplete. We argue that the epistemic validity of experimental designs should also be taken into account in order to ensure measuring truly a deliberative exercise rather than just a regular discussion. By ensuring the inclusion and publicity of all arguments, the process of arguing back-and-forth between multiple positions is theoretically claimed to generate better outcomes and should therefore be validated along epistemic lines. Here, we suggest some methodological techniques for enabling the epistemic validity assumption of deliberative experimental designs. These techniques relate to the sampling of the groups and the treatments they receive.

Keywords: deliberative democracy, epistemic proceduralism, experimental methodology, cognitive diversity

Suggested Citation

Caluwaerts, Didier and Ugarriza, Juan, Favorable Conditions to Epistemic Validity in Deliberative Experiments: A Methodological Assessment (April 1, 2012). Journal of Public Deliberation, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2343409

Didier Caluwaerts (Contact Author)

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) ( email )

Pleinlaan 2
http://www.vub.ac.be/
Brussels, 1050
Belgium

Juan Ugarriza

Universidad del Rosario ( email )

Calle 12 No. 6-25
Bogota, DC
Colombia

0 References

    0 Citations

      Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

      Paper statistics

      Downloads
      100
      Abstract Views
      639
      Rank
      556,120
      PlumX Metrics