Ideal types are defined by having zero empirical extension

Evidence

Oneconcept-buildingstrategyknowntomostsocialscientistsusesthe “ideal type” construction. This chapter focuses on concepts and their extensions; an ideal type usually has the empty set as its extension. It is an ideal type because it never or rarely can be found in practice. In practice, the principle meaning of ideal type is that the concept has zero extension. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts, 549

Categorization

• DEFINE: Renders the ideal type as a concept whose extension is empty — a clean, extension-based clarification of a term usually left vague.