Normative

Normative - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normative[12/08/2012 20:34:29]

Normative

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For other uses, see Normative (disambiguation).

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Normative has specialized contextual meanings in several academic disciplines. Generically, itmeans relating to an ideal standard or model. [1] In practice, it has strong connotations of relating to atypical standard or model (see also normality).

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1 Philosophy2 Social sciences and economics3 Law4 Standards documents5 See also6 References7 Further reading

In philosophy, normative statements affirm how things should or ought to be, how to value them,which things are good or bad, which actions are right or wrong. Normative is usually contrasted withpositive (i.e. descriptive, explanatory, or constative) claims when describing types of theories, beliefs,or propositions. Positive statements are factual statements that attempt to describe reality.

For example, "children should eat vegetables", and "those who would sacrifice liberty for securitydeserve neither" are normative claims. On the other hand, "vegetables contain a relatively highproportion of vitamins", "smoking causes cancer", and "a common consequence of sacrificing libertyfor security is a loss of both" are positive claims. Whether or not a statement is normative is logicallyindependent of whether it is verified, verifiable, or popularly held.

It is only with David Hume[citation needed] in the 18th century that philosophers began to takecognizance of the logical difference between normative and descriptive statements and thinking.There are several schools of thought regarding the status of normative statements and whether theycan be rationally discussed or defended. Among these schools are the tradition of practical reasonextending from Aristotle through Kant to Habermas, which asserts that they can, and the tradition ofemotivism, which maintains that they are merely expressions of emotions and have no rationalcontent.

Normative statements and norms, as well as their meanings, are an integral part of human life. Theyare fundamental for prioritizing goals and organizing and planning thought, belief, emotion and actionand are the basis of much ethical and political discourse.

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Modern philosophy generally holds that the way in which individuals or societies define that whichthey consider to be appropriate - that is: to be in accordance with their (normative) standards - variesgreatly between peoples and cultures. Others see a remarkable unity of human moral sentiment.Many philosophers have searched for a source of normative values which is independent of theindividual's subjective morality and consequently objective and 'true' in nature.

In the social sciences, the term "normative" has broadly the same meaning as its usage inphilosophy, but may also relate, in a sociological context, to the role of cultural 'norms'; the sharedvalues or institutions that structural functionalists regard as constitutive of the social structure andsocial cohesion. These values and units of socialization thus act to encourage or enforce socialactivity and outcomes that ought to (with respect to the norms implicit in those structures) occur,while discouraging or preventing social activity that ought not occur. That is, they promote socialactivity that is socially valued (see philosophy above). While there are always anomalies in socialactivity (typically described as "crime" or anti-social behaviour, see also normality) the normativeeffects of popularly-endorsed beliefs (such as "family values" or "common sense") push most socialactivity towards a generally homogeneous set. From such reasoning, however, functionalism sharesan affinity with ideological conservatism.

Normative economics deals with questions of what sort of economic policies should be pursued, inorder to achieve desired (that is, valued, ibid.) economic outcomes. See economics aspect innormative economics.

See also: Normative jurisprudence

In law, as an academic discipline, the term "normative" is used to describe the way something oughtto be done according to a value position. As such, normative arguments can be conflicting, insofar asdifferent values can be inconsistent with one another. For example, from one normative value positionthe purpose of the criminal process may be to repress crime. From another value position, thepurpose of the criminal justice system could be to protect individuals from the moral harm of wrongfulconviction.

Normative elements are defined in International Organization for Standardization Directives Part 2 as"elements that describe the scope of the document, and which set out provisions". Provisions include"requirements", "recommendations" and "statements". "Statements" include permissions, possibilitiesand capabilities. A "requirement" is an "expression in the content of a document conveying criteria tobe fulfilled if compliance with the document is to be claimed and from which no deviation ispermitted." It is not necessary to comply with recommendations and statements in order to complywith the standard, it is necessary to comply only with the requirements (that are denoted by theverbal form "shall"). There is much confusion between "normative" and "requirement", however theISO terminology is supported by national standards bodies worldwide and is the legitimate descriptionof these terms in the context of standards documents.

In standards terminology still used by some organisations, "normative" means "considered to be aprescriptive part of the standard". It characterises that part of the standard which describes whatought (see philosophy above) to be done within the application of that standard. It is implicit thatapplication of that standard will result in a valuable outcome (ibid.). For example, many standardshave an introduction, preface, or summary that is considered non-normative, as well as a main bodythat is considered normative. "Compliance" is defined as "complies with the normative sections of thestandard"; an object that complies with the normative sections but not the non-normative sections ofa standard is still considered to be in compliance.

Normative = prescriptive = how to complyInformative = descriptive = help with conceptual understanding

Typically, normative is contrasted with informative (referring to the standard's descriptive, explanatoryor positive content). Informative data is supplemental information such as additional guidance,supplemental recommendations, tutorials, commentary as well as background, history, development,

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[edit]Law

[edit]Standards documents



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and relationship with other elements. Informative data is not a requirement and doesnt compelcompliance.

Decision theoryEconomicsMichel FoucaultHypothesisIs-ought problemLinguistic prescriptionNorm (philosophy)

Normative economicsNormative ethicsPhilosophy of lawPolitical scienceScientific methodValue

1. ^ Bromley, 2007:109[specify ]

Canguilhem, Georges, The Normal and the Pathological, ISBN 0-942299-59-0.

Categories: Normative ethics Social sciences Philosophy of law Philosophical concepts

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