Talk:Normative
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can somebody add an example. this is jibberish to me. what does it mean in plain english?
[edit] normative example
normative is when its the right thing or what is supposed to be or be similair to. same latin roots as normal.
...that was a definition of normatiave, not an example. A good guide is that descriptive statements are like facts or statements which can be disproved, but normative statements are like generalisations or opinions. They cannot be 'proved' or 'disproved', they may only be agreed or disagreed with.
- An example of a 'descriptive' statement is: "Wikipedia is free."
- An example of a 'normative' statement is: "Free information is good."
This page http://www.ingrimayne.com/econ/Introduction/Normativ.html has good description of normative from the context of economics.
aziz@ideayayinevi.com (istanbul)
The term "normative" is a neologism for the non-existen "conceptual" in contradistinction basically of "positive." This is a biassed essay inserting pro-positivist Hume into a place he does not deserve. It must be rewritten according to its place in the totality of the philosophical process.
I don't know if I've put this in the right place, but I don't see a button for starting a new comment.
Norm, Normal, Normalcy and some related words should include a couple of concepts. One is the statistical definition of normal, meaning "typical" or "modal," or in the greatest number (a plurality or majority.)
It should include a sociological concept relating to the most common practices or beliefs. Commonly, a thing is ethical or unethical in relation to the beliefs and preferences of the greatest number of people (in a region.) Strongly-held attitudes may be opposed by attitudes of other groups, having other standards which they consider normal.
Thus, heterosexuality is often called "normal" because it is the condition or practice or belief of the greatest number. Once a majority believe that homosexuality is not deviant or evil, then it would become "normal" in that sense. Similar statements could be made in regard to racial segregation vs. integration.
It is also statistically normal that people should die or age, because those are universal conditions.
Normal can also refer to perfection, as in a "normal kidney," meaning a kidney without defect. If most 50-year olds have defective vision, that would be statistically normal for them, and the 50-year-old with perfect vision would be statistically deviant, though his vision would also be "normal" with respect to the perfection definition.
Common speech may refer to norms as socially agreed standards, such that it is the norm to accept a certain practice. There is a command element involved, but a greater suggestion of agreement by the greatest number.
