Published On:Thursday, 8 December 2011
Posted by Muhammad Atif Saeed
Positive and Normative Statements
Detecting bias in arguments Whenever you are reading articles on current affairs it is important to be able to distinguish where possible between objective and subjective statements. Very often the person writing an article has a particular argument to make and will include in their piece subjective statements about what ought to be or what should be happening. Their articles are said to carry value judgements, they are trying to persuade you of the particular merits or demerits of a particular policy decision or issues. These articles may be lacking in objectivity. Positive Statements Positive statements are objective statements that can be tested or rejected by referring to the available evidence. Positive economics deals with objective explanation and the testing and rejection of theories. For example:
Normative statements express an opinion about what ought to be. They are subjective statements rather than objective statements – i.e. they carry value judgments. For example:
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| Author: Geoff Riley, Eton College, September 2006 |  |
