Normative

Normative refers to the establishment of standards or norms, and is derived from the Latin word 'norma' meaning 'rule' or 'principle'. This term is used in many disciplines including philosophy, social sciences, and law.

In philosophy, normative statements make claims about how things should or ought to be, how to value them, which things are good or bad, and which actions are right or wrong. Normative claims are usually contrasted with positive (i.e. descriptive, explanatory, or constative) claims when describing types of theories, beliefs, or propositions.

In the social sciences, normative often refers to the role of culture and social norms in shaping and defining behavior.

In law, normative statements are about what is legal or illegal, and what ought to be legal or illegal.

Normative in Philosophy

In philosophy, normative is used to describe the analysis of ethical, moral, and political statements. Normative statements in philosophy are often distinguished from positive statements, which are statements about what is, was, or will be the case, rather than what ought to be the case.

Normative in Social Sciences

In the social sciences, the term normative has been used to describe the process of social life and social order. Normative often refers to the role of culture and social norms in shaping and defining behavior.

Normative in Law

In law, normative statements are about what is legal or illegal, and what ought to be legal or illegal. Normative legal statements are distinguished from positive legal statements, which describe what the law is, as opposed to what it ought to be.

See Also

• Norm (social)
• Norm (philosophy)
• Normative ethics
• Normative economics
• Normative statement
• Normative theory
• Normative law

References

Normative Resources
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