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ABSTRACTPolitical science takes pride in objective and methodologically rigorous research. This should be reflected in a clear and concise writing style that convinces readers by the content of the research, not by the language used to report about it. This article demonstrates that this is true but only to a limited extent. It shows that—similar to recent findings from natural-sciences research—the frequency of positive words that political scientists use to describe their research has increased markedly in recent decades. At the same time, however, the magnitude of this increase is much less pronounced. The article discusses and analyzes potential explanations for this trend. We suspect that it can be attributed at least partly to changing norms in the discipline, in which research framed in a positive way is more likely to be published.

Introduction : the status of the Tractatus -- 1. An essence to logical representation -- 2. Dissolving the subject : solipsism and the self -- 3. Psychology, philosophy and the mechanistic approach of metaphysics -- 4. Causation and the principles of the natural sciences -- 5. On the relative position of logic, science, and natural languages -- 6. The ethical purpose of the Tractatus -- Conclusion : Wittgenstein's method and the continuity in his philosophy.