Normative Information. Bridging Information Theory and the Philosophy of Normativity

Abstract Generally, the focus in the theory of information is almost exclusively on information that can be termed declarative, descriptive, factual, constative, or apophantic, by which is meant information that has a semantic content that can be true or false. Examples of carriers of apophantic information are train timetables, bank account statements, and medical reports. However, alongside apophantic information, there is another type of information that is much less studied but no less important: information that serves a function that is not descriptive but normative, what we could call “normative information”. A traffic sign indicating no overtaking, the land-use specifications outlined in a local plan, and the graphic instructions for assembling IKEA furniture are examples of items that convey normative information. The paper investigates this underexplored type of information and seeks to demonstrate the value of studying it for information theory and the philosophy of normativity.