A theory intends to explain reality and make a truth claim. In this book, the theory presented does not apply to any form of social reality, and its truth claim can neither be verified, neither falsified. The author presents, somewhere from the dimness of deep metaphysical outerspace, a series of half baked philosophical assertions about IR theory that are at best incoherent and erroneous. In essence it is a pot of opportunistic eclecticism that nowhere achieves a synthesis that smells of coherence. Although he wants to explain all IR questions, he achieves to provide an understanding for none of them. What pretends to be a theory is nothing but a wolkenkuckucksheim that demonstrates the limits of a 'science' based on opportunism rather than truth, and its devoted students would probably continue joyfully to sing its praise even if it had been shown to anyones satisfaction that its presumptions were outlandish; because nothing whatsoever would count as a falsification of their beliefs. Do not buy this book if you sincerely intend to learn something about international politics, because there are much better choices around. Although the author might still be regarded as a fashion icon in his field, all he does is celebrate - under the label of positivism - the ambiguous and dubious as positive in itself. (...)

一个理论打算解释现实，并提出一个真理性的主张。在这本书中，所提出的理论并不适用于任何形式的社会现实，其真理主张既不能被验证，也不能被证伪。作者从形而上学的外太空深处的某个地方，提出了一系列关于IR理论的半生不熟的哲学论断，这些论断充其量是不连贯的和错误的。从本质上讲，这是一锅机会主义的折衷主义，没有任何地方能达到有连贯性气味的综合。尽管他想解释所有的国际关系问题，但他没有实现对任何问题的理解。伪装成理论的东西不过是一个证明基于机会主义而非真理的'科学'的局限性的沃尔肯库克海姆，即使有人满意地证明它的假设是荒谬的，它的忠实学生也可能继续欢快地唱赞歌；因为任何东西都不能算作对他们信仰的证伪。如果你真的想学习一些国际政治知识，请不要购买这本书，因为有更好的选择。尽管作者可能仍然被视为其领域的时尚偶像，但他所做的只是在实证主义的标签下，把模棱两可和可疑的东西当作积极的东西来颂扬。(...)