What are they & how are they related
to justifications for action?
Positive claims – statements about what we know.
Normative claims –
statements about what we value or ÒshouldÓ value
Positive claim - essential concern is about how things are, not how they should be.
In this
regard, all
scientific claims and questions are positive.
Examining evidence is a powerful and often effective means for resolving disagreements over positive claims.
Normative claim – essential concern is about how things
should be; claims that something
is good or bad, right or wrong, virtuous, wise or foolish, just or unjust, etc.
Normative questions & claims always involve value judgments; hence, basis for believing that they have right or wrong answers is much weaker than for positive questions.
Unstated
assumptions behind an
argument can be normative as well as positive.
Mixing of normative and positive claims
with powerful unstated assumptions,
obfuscates & obstructs reasoned deliberations on public policy, creates confusion, exacerbates conflict,
makes it difficult for citizens to understand
an argument and arrive at an informed view.