The Normative reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Normative

Normative is contrasted with its antonym, positive, when describing types of theories, beliefs, or statements.

A positive statement is a falsifiable statement that attempts to describe ontology.

A normative statement, on the other hand, is a statement regarding how things should or ought to be. Such statements are impossible to prove or disprove, thus forever banishing them from the world of the scientific.

Normative statements are nevertheless an integral part of our lives, in terms of prioritizing our goals, and organizing and planning thought and action.

See also

• normative ethics
• philosophy of law
• economics
• scientific method
• hypothesis

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