Situational logic

Situational logic (also situational analysis)^[1] is a concept advanced by Karl Popper in his The Poverty of Historicism.^[2] 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.^{[note 1]}

First provide a description of the situation:

''Agent A was in a situation of type C''.

This situation is then analysed

''In a situation of type C, the appropriate thing to do is X.''

The rationality principle may then be called upon:

''agents always act appropriately to their situation''

Finally we have the explanadum:

''(therefore) A did X.''^[3]