Does the discussion of empirical versus normative statements

Does the discussion of empirical versus normative statements resonate with you (does it make sense)? Give at least one example of an empirical argument and one example of a normative argument that you\'ve heard recently (in the news media, from a politician, etc). How did the statement influence your opinion of the topic?

Solution

Empirical Arguments:

Empirical Arguments are arguments based on accumulated evidence, rather than theory or supposition

Scientists use empirical arguments to justify their conclusions, in order to gain credibility for their theories. That is why the study and gathering of data is an essential practice to scientific study

Example:-- the argument \"The sun will come out tomorrow,\" is empirical because there is an abundance of evidence that it does come out every morning

Normative statments:

**Normative theory involves questions of value, of what we should do, or of what we ought to do.  This is the stuff of political philosophy, and as you know it is the oldest area of political study.  Normative theory has had something of a renaissance with the postbehavioralist movement

A positive statement is a statement about what is and that contains no indication of approval or disapproval. Notice that a positive statement can be wrong. \"The moon is made of green cheese\" is incorrect, but it is a positive statement because it is a statement about what exists

A normative statement expresses a judgment about whether a situation is desirable or undesirable.

\"The world would be a better place if the moon were made of green cheese\" is a normative statement because it expresses a judgment about what ought to be.

Notice that there is no way of disproving this statement.

If you disagree with it, you have no sure way of convincing someone who believes the statement that he is wrong.