normative statement

[NOR-muh-tiv STĀT-mənt]
nounpl: normative statements
afirmação normativa
1. A statement that expresses what ought to be, what is desirable, or what is morally right; a value judgment or prescription rather than a factual description
The statement 'society should prioritize environmental protection' is a normative statement because it expresses a value judgment.
A afirmação 'a sociedade deveria priorizar a proteção ambiental' é uma afirmação normativa porque expressa um juízo de valor.
2. In philosophy and economics, a claim about how things should be or ought to be, as opposed to how they actually are (descriptive or positive statements)
Economists distinguish between normative statements about what policy should be and positive statements about what will happen.
Os economistas distinguem entre afirmações normativas sobre qual deve ser a política e afirmações positivas sobre o que acontecerá.
This term is fundamental in Western academic discourse, particularly in philosophy, economics, and political science. In Brazil, the term is widely used in university curricula, especially in law, economics, and ethics courses. The distinction between normative and positive statements is crucial in Portuguese-speaking academia for critical thinking and scientific methodology. In both American and Brazilian contexts, understanding normative statements is essential for analyzing public policy debates, where conflicting values often underlie disagreements.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
value judgmentprescriptive statementought statementevaluative statementmoral claim
Antonyms / Antônimos
descriptive statementpositive statementfactual statementempirical statementobjective statement

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
afirmação normativa
Standard term used in academic and philosophical contexts
Portugal
afirmação normativa / enunciado normativo
Both terms are acceptable; enunciado is also used in formal logic
USA Academic
normative statement
Prevalent in philosophy, economics, and policy discussions

Related Words

positive statementethical statementprescriptiveevaluativevalue judgmentoughtnormative ethicsis-ought distinction

Related Idioms & Phrases

the is-ought distinction
normative versus descriptive
making a value judgment
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