- characteristics
- They are not quantifiable
- Follow a set of rules
- It has a relationship between normative and traditional sciences
- Classification
- Ethics
- Aesthetics
- The philosophy
- References
The normative sciences are a type of information that develops and interprets the intention of applying policy or class of policies in particular. The traditional sciences do not presuppose predefined policies, the normative sciences do.
For example, thinking based on avoiding environmental pollution is supported by pre-established rules that were developed over time. Another example is the thought of the preference for natural species against species that were altered by man.
"Ethics", pixabay.com
In more philosophical terms, normative sciences are forms of inquiry that meet in order to discover "good ways" to achieve recognized goals or purposes. Over time, normative sciences have evolved to figure out how things should be.
When presenting scientific information on health, ecosystem, or environmental degradation, each of these concepts recognizes a political preference, which is a fundamental characteristic of normative science.
In short, the normative sciences clearly revolve around the place of norms or values.
characteristics
They are not quantifiable
Science has been divided over time into two approaches to explain different functions: descriptive science and normative science. Descriptive science adopts a purely experimental and objective approach, seeking to establish clear and exact facts.
Instead, normative science tries to explain and improve things. Fields such as physics or biology are descriptive, while fields of ethics are classified as normative. Still, the scientific method can be used in the normative science area.
In areas like ethics, you will ask yourself questions such as: "Is the death penalty okay?" or “should abortion be legalized?”, while descriptive sciences only seek to discover quantifiable facts, such as: “what percentage of people believe that the death penalty is correct?”.
The normative sciences seek to discover "the ways of doing things" or "the correct way of thinking and acting."
Follow a set of rules
According to normative sciences, in order to make decisions or make a pronouncement about "the good" or "the bad" of things, one must operate within a set of previously established norms or beliefs.
For normative sciences, you must have knowledge of how human beings think and behave. In addition, you must understand what their beliefs and thoughts are to establish the standards, within which they can make some value judgment.
Ultimately, normative sciences discover, understand and analyze how things are in order to subsequently seek to improve them significantly.
It has a relationship between normative and traditional sciences
In the case of ecology, for example, it is a normative science. According to the criteria of ecology, rivers, seas, and the environment in general should not be polluted and it is suggested to give the correct care of animals. In this sense, they define a series of concepts and parameters to defend their positions.
However, physics or the exact sciences in general are involved in the process to quantify; For example, the contamination of rivers, or the bromide levels they may have, must be calculated to corroborate whether or not it is contaminated and, if so, what percentage is affected.
In accordance with this, the position of normative science is supported by the quantitative and exact data provided by the traditional sciences to be able to give a value judgment.
Classification
Ethics
By nature, ethics establishes a series of universal rules and laws within society. Ethics is seen as a normative science that human beings must comply with in order to do "what is right."
Ethics is responsible for guiding the human being in his behavior, making it a method of a scientific and practical nature. It is the moral systems that human beings have that govern their behavior throughout their lives.
The category of normative ethics involves creating or evaluating moral standards. Therefore, it is an attempt to find out what the man should do or if his moral conduct is reasonable. Normative ethics is in charge of finding the foundations of the norms and modeling the human being.
This branch of philosophy, then, makes an attempt to seek and recognize the right and wrong things without depending on governmental or religious institutions, becoming a personal decision.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy related to nature, art and beauty. It has also been seen as a critical reflection on different topics such as art or culture. Aesthetics is a sensory perception and a part of the branch in charge of studying value judgments.
In aesthetics, questions such as: "What makes a work of art successful?" or "Why do we find certain beautiful things?" or "Is there a connection between art and morality?" Aesthetic value judgments are based on our ability to discriminate on a sensory and emotional level.
According to the Prussian philosopher Immanuel Kant, beauty is objective and universal; However, there is a second concept involved in the viewer's interpretation of beauty, taste, which is subjective and varies according to the cultural environment and education of each person.
On the other hand, beauticians may call a person, a house, a symphony or a fragrance “beautiful”, but then they ask a series of questions between them: what characteristic do they all share that give them such status?
The philosophy
Like ethics and aesthetics, philosophy asks a series of questions related to how one should live ethically and morally correctly. In addition, it seeks to understand the correct principles of the human reasoning process.
Ultimately, it is based on the investigation of the nature, causes or principles of reality. It is also based on knowledge and values based on logical reasoning rather than the use of empirical methods.
Unlike traditional sciences, philosophy asks abstract questions; it is done through reflection and does not tend to trust experiments.
References
- What Is Normative and Descriptive Science ?, John London, (2017). Taken from sciencing.com
- Normative Social Science, International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, (2008). Taken from encyclopedia.com
- Descriptive and Normative Science, George Sabine, (2018). Taken from jstor.org
- Ethics: Descriptive, Normative and Analytic, Thoughtco Portal, (2018). Taken from thoughtco.com
- Normativity in the philosophy of science: the case of regulatory science, Francisco Javier Rodríguez Alcázar, (2004). Taken from dialnet.unirioja.es