ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the suggestion that some forms of normativity arise from at least some social norms, and the critique the idea that there is an explanatory role for real normativity associated with norms. It begins with a quick survey of the plausible richness of contents of the coordinated thinking involved in many sociological norms. There are several ways in which normativity might be thought to be significant for the explanatory portfolio for which the social sciences are responsible. The social sciences commonly deal with social or sociological norms of various stripes, so it might seem reasonable that the social sciences be responsible for accounting for the associated normatively laden phenomena. Weak normativists embrace the normative explananda thesis. Metaphysically ambitious normativists embrace the normativity as explananda thesis in addition. The fitting naturalist stance with respect to the normativity as explananda thesis and the normative explananda thesis is a delicate matter. Issues of meta-normativity intrude.
