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Normative vs Descriptive Statements and Questions. Hand-OutEthics is said to be a Normative Science, as opposed to a Descriptive Science. What is the difference between “Normative” and “Descriptive”?The difference between “Normative” and “Descriptive” is primarily a difference between types of statements and questions. Normative Statements are statements that either prescribe some behavior, or evaluate something as good or bad, right or wrong, just or unjust, beautiful or ugly, and so on. To prescribe something is to say that one should or should not, ought or ought not, do something. For instance: “You should brush your teeth before bed” and “He ought not tell any lies” are prescriptive. Prescriptions can have the force of a command (ex: “Brush your teeth” and “Don’t tell lies”), although “I may brush my teeth” is also prescriptive. To evaluate something is to place some value on it, such as: good, bad, right, wrong, ugly, beautiful, wicked, virtuous, correct, incorrect. As Normative Statements either prescribe or evaluate, so Normative Questions ask for evaluations or prescriptions. Here are some examples of Normative Statements and Questions (in English):Is stealing always wrong? B. You shouldn’t vote for that candidate. C. His answer was incorrect.D. Should I see a doctor? E. She is a good employee? F: This is a grave injusticeIn contrast, Descriptive Statements are statement which simply report some alleged fact, and do not evaluate and do not prescribe. Likewise, Descriptive Questions are questions which ask for non-evaluative and non-prescriptive fact: For example: How tall is Mike? B. Two plus two equals four. C. The Earth revolves around the Sun.D. Is smoking pot illegal? E. Half of Americans believe that early-term abortion is wrong.F. Does your mom think your fiancé is a good person? G. Most people are selfish. NOTICE: You might think that D, E, F, and G are normative. But they are not. D is asking whether smoking pot is prohibited by the laws established by government (it is not evaluating those laws). E is just statement about what some people believe; the statement itself is not claiming that abortion is wrong. F is just asking about what your mom thinks; it is not asking whether your fiancé is a good person. Finally, in G, while “selfish” implies something negative, it is really just a descriptive term for behaving mostly in favor of one’s own interests.HOWEVER, also notice some terms/statements/questions are really ambiguous. It is difficult to decide whether they are normative or descriptive. For instance, consider:You are acting dangerously. B. His breath smells. C. He is prohibited from drinking. D. This ride is nauseating. E. Your behavior is troubling. Each of these has a clear interpretation on which it is normative, but also a clear interpretation on which it is descriptive. For instance, “troubling” can be used as descriptive of the utterers reaction to “your behavior” (your behavior is troubling me), or evaluative of your behavior (where an action’s being “troubling” is way for that action to be bad). center0Questions: Determine whether each of the following is Normative or Descriptive. If you think it is ambiguous, put that and explain why (0.25 points each):I am God:You are not allowed to be here:All my friends think you should leave. I am satisfied with your performance.Your performance is satisfactory.This rule is unfair.Who is the most evil person to have ever lived? This was a positive experience. All societies value children.Would the world be a better or a worse place without religion? 00Questions: Determine whether each of the following is Normative or Descriptive. If you think it is ambiguous, put that and explain why (0.25 points each):I am God:You are not allowed to be here:All my friends think you should leave. I am satisfied with your performance.Your performance is satisfactory.This rule is unfair.Who is the most evil person to have ever lived? This was a positive experience. All societies value children.Would the world be a better or a worse place without religion? ................
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