# Normativity |  | Normative generally means relating to an evaluative standard. **Normativity** is the phenomenon in human societies of designating some actions or outcomes as good, desirable, or permissible, and others as bad, undesirable, or impermissible. A norm in this sense means a standard for evaluating or making judgments about behavior or outcomes. "Normative" is sometimes also used, somewhat confusingly, to mean relating to a descriptive standard: doing what is normally done or what most others are expected to do in practice. In this sense a norm is not evaluative, a basis for judging behavior or outcomes; it is simply a fact or observation about behavior or outcomes, without judgment. Many researchers in science, law, and philosophy try to restrict the use of the term "normative" to the evaluative sense and refer to the description of behavior and outcomes as positive, descriptive, predictive, or empirical. | | ---- | ---- | | | wikipedia:: [Normativity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normativity) | | | Norms are concepts (sentences) of practical import, oriented to affecting an action, rather than conceptual abstractions that describe, explain, and express. Normative sentences imply "ought-to" types of statements and assertions, in distinction to sentences that provide "is" types of statements and assertions. Common normative sentences include commands, permissions, and prohibitions; common normative abstract concepts include sincerity, justification, and honesty. A popular account of norms describes them as reasons to take action, to believe, and to feel. | | | wikipedia:: [Norm (philosophy)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(philosophy)) | | | wikipedia:: [Normative statement - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normative_statement?cmdf=normative+statement) | Normativity: relating to an evaluative standard Norm (philosophy): reasons to take action, to believe, and to feel [[Normative Ethics]] [[Social norm]] [[Law]] [[Rule of law]] [[Principle]] [[Rule]] [[Deontology]]