Normative ethic is a term used to describe a particular approach to ethical decision making that is based on the idea that there are certain norms or standards that everyone should follow in order to act in a morally correct way. The spelling of "normative ethic" is represented using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as [ˈnɔːmətɪv ˈɛθɪk]. This represents the pronunciation of each individual phoneme in the word, with the emphasis being placed on the first syllable of each word.
Normative ethics, also referred to as prescriptive ethics, is a branch of ethical philosophy that aims to establish how individuals ought to behave by providing guidance on what actions are morally right or wrong. It encompasses theories and principles that help individuals analyze and evaluate moral decisions and actions within a given framework. Normative ethics seeks to prescribe or determine how individuals should act based on moral standards or norms.
This branch of ethics focuses on actions and their moral implications rather than simply describing how people actually behave in ethical situations. It aims to provide individuals and societies with a set of moral guidelines, principles, and theories that facilitate the determination of what is morally right or wrong, good or bad, and just or unjust.
Normative ethics is concerned with developing a universal framework that can guide ethical decision-making. It includes various ethical theories, such as consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics, which offer different perspectives on determining the moral value of actions. These theories often rely on principles and concepts like utility, duty, virtue, rights, and justice, to assess the moral implications of actions and establish ethical norms.
Overall, normative ethics is essential in providing individuals and societies with a foundation to evaluate and justify moral choices and actions, ultimately aiming to create a more ethical and just world.
The word "normative" derives from the Latin word "norma", meaning "rule" or "pattern". It entered the English language through the French word "normatif" before becoming "normative" in the mid-19th century. The term "ethic" comes from the Greek word "ethos", meaning "custom" or "habit". In this context, it refers to the study of moral principles or standards that guide human behavior. Therefore, the combination "normative ethic" refers to a branch of ethics that aims to establish or prescribe the norms, rules, or standards guiding human conduct.