Ask Your Question today
If normal just means what the majority are then these things aren't normal: being gay, having brown skin and blue eyes, being super intelligent, being super beautiful.
What is normal?
I've commented on this before. As you say, going simply by majority leads you to some absurd conclusions like people with blue eyes are abnormal. I go by a more psychological definition. Things like is something healthy, it harmful to yourself or others etc.?
Well while this is true I think most people do generally just go by the majority mentality. Saying if everyone is into it you should be into it. For example there is a child being picked on. One kid is picking on that child bad. 3 children are picking on that kid bad. However if a large majority starts picking on the child its a lot less likely people will defend him since most are afraid to go against the heard. So no matter how stupid the decision they will happily follow it.
It's all a matter of geography.
Taking a shit is normal.
Taking a shit in the middle of a busy intersection is not.
It's just that simple.
I'll vote that's something is normal if it's not strange. So, having blue eyes isn't strange. Having three eyes is strange.
I don't see that this word is open to personal interpretation.
adjective: normal;
1. conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.
noun: normal;
1. the usual, average, or typical state or condition.
DICTIONARIES are such wonderful things.
And when used with something as varied as the human race and for instance human eye colour. Most people don't have blue eyes, most in the world have brown eyes. So are blue eyes then not normal?
Yes, obviously, average does not equate normal. In fact, if it did, no one would be normal, because no one is perfectly average in every way. Averages have a role to play, however, as they help us define the borders of normality.
Normal, in the social sense, just means "within a predefined standard of typical human behaviour". Even though this site concerns mostly social issues, some of your examples were physical. In that case, normal would mean "expected traits within a certain population".
Normal is easier to define as what it isn't rather than what it is, and what it isn't is anomalous: random flukes, odd variations, etc. All of your examples are normal because they're all typical variations of human behaviour/characteristics.
In the end, though, normal is what context defines it to be. If in your social circle, being skinny is "normal", then being fat is abnormal. Normality is HIGHLY dependent upon context and social setting. For example, here at IIN, normal is getting a rating over 50%, plain and simple.
"Normal" is nothing solid, it is a matter of opinion and always changing. One person may think putting hot sauce in hot dogs is normal, while someone else may find it disgusting; and yet a third person will think it's normal, but only if it's accompanied by mayonnaise.
I̷͚̣̥̬ț̴̪͕͖̹ w̶aś̫̼ d͉͈̰̟̥̤͔͢ú̯͔r̭̩͚i̧̤̹̺͖n̲̦̠̮͝ģ̗͍̻̭ ͖̦t͚̝̹̥̥͢ḫ̯e̮̼͚̹̥̱͈ ̣̰G̯̬̹̹r̢e̴̯̘̳̘̫͓̹a̭̥͇̰t̵̘̳̰̲̹̪̰ ̮̝̣̪̯C̲͖͘r̪̯̱͔͉u̧͖̙̩̼s҉͎̝̣a̲ḍ̶̬̫̠̥ͅe̴̟̱͚̻̦̜ ̮͖͉th͞a̟̩͚̜͔t͕͎̳̩̺ ̧̫͇͔̦̲̟͔t͕̭he̢ ̦̠̘̙̘͖T̳ḁ̭͖̻͓͈͝u̷̮͍̫̜̬͓ ̫̻̰͔͚̣̪s̱̯̮t͍̜͉̥͝ą̖̟̠̦̱͔͎r̠̝̩̰t̤̯̖̳̩͉̺ed̻̩͚͔̺̫ ̞͍̦̹͉́m̼i̮͔̺͢n̴̪͓͈͕ͅi̧͕̻͍̼n̬̟̬̳͖̯̜g͚̮̪̱̜̤ ̢̺͈̪o̟̬̗n̻͇̩̲̠ ͈͙̩̰͍͖́t̠̣̝͔he͇̤̻̗̞̠ ̭ͅͅm͉̦̠͘o̡̻̳̫o̫̪̜̝̭n̺͓͔̺̙̮ ̡͉͖o̸̺̗r̤̥͇̪͎̱͟b̟̜̙̳̼i̧t͓͚̩͖͖͞ͅi̴n̵g̲͖̟̣̞͕ ̼̰͉̳̭͉̺C͔̣r̩͈o̷̰n̵̳͈̫u̥͈̲̬̭̠s̷͈,̯̱̲ ̷͉̫͖̬u̧͔̫͖n͙͖̟̮̭̱ḵ̱͖̟̫͚̘n͏o͕͎̻̥̞̘̞w̰̪̼̲͈i̵ǹ͔̼̭̥g̼͇̥͈͕̬ḷ̵͉͚y̫̘̦̪͙̤ ͔͟i̘̦̪͚n̳͖̰͝t̷̺ͅe̶̺r̻̮̘̟̟f̢̙e̢͎̳͚̫͕̝ͅr͕̳̳̹i̱̻̦̲̤̞n̹̦̥̮̗̪g̹̝͞ ̗̘̻͇̻w͇̟̩̝͇̝̕i̴ṭ͖͉͙̙͡h̡͙̫̠͈̞ ̭̝̼I҉͈m̢p͖͎e̜͎̲̘̠ͅr̶̹̜̼̜̠͍i̥̠͚̭͓a̶l̥̞̝̞ ͟c͙̫o̢̠̰ͅm̟̯͡m̡uni̼̮̪̙̥c̜̙̥͉a̬̹t̖̱͉͢i̝͉̫o͓n̳̥̫ͅͅs̡͕̦̲̭̖͉̖ ̥́o̮͓̗͈̞͔͚͝n̻͢ͅ ̢̮̜͇̺͈̹t̷̩̳̻̜̤͇h̞̝̞̟͔͚̻e͏̝̙ ̨̼p̯͇ͅl͈̱̟͚̻̪̘͢a͖̞̟̪̟̱n͕̱̥͘ḙ͔͙̱̫̬t̨͚̦̟̟̣̖̞ş͙̼̦ ̶̱̳͓̱s̯͕̺͙u̳̬͕̣r͉͉͕f̟̬͝a̞̯͍̤͓c̗̕e͓͕͕̖̱̹̩.̨̼̞ ̦̼̰̗B̰̝̻̫͓r̻̣̟òt̕h͏̤̠͇͇̳͓̠e͕̪̺̼͔̘r̳͇̭͔̠͘ͅ-͍͍C̨̳̭̺ͅa̴̤̝̙p͈̩̟͚̮t̥͉͖̞͍a̬͖̜i̯͉͍̻n҉̮̭ ͏͙̺͈ͅI̫͖͙n͡d͍͉̜̻̖̹͇͢r͎̺͎̲͉̀ͅi̴̬̼̭͕c͈̖̦̤̳͜k ̘̲͖͎̼̙͝B̸̭o̰͢r̠̭̙e̛͙͖a̦͎̟̦l̺̭͓̲̥͢e̳̗͉͇̝̮̩ ̵͍̩͎f̷͓̻̥̹̘a̱̥͝b̗̟͖̜̥̝r̴̰͙͚̗̭̫i̲͉̻̝̹̕c͏̺̺̱a̻̭̗̪͟t͙̦̻e̥d͜ ͖̹̜͉̥a̢͓ ̀d̴̳̻͎̳̱̰r͍̟͉̼̙͕e͈͕̖͎̮͖a̱͔d̬͝ͅf̘̪͇̪͚̱̀u̖̥l̷͍͕͉l͖͍̀ͅy̹̮ ̙̙͖̯̩̦ͅi͎̻̣̱n͍̜̞̗̗̟s͎͕͓̱p̴͔͔i̺̭r̥i͎͙͎n̺̻̣̲͠g̢̣̺͙̞̱ ̭h̥͙̰̝́ͅͅa̦̜̜t̪̰̰ͅe s̬̯̞̥͙p̢̝͎̲̝̙͈e̥͚̭̯̱͔̞e͇̞̥̥̯͈c̗͙̻͇h̵̠̝̮ ̰̣͕͈̰͕͢ͅí̝n̞̖c̬̱̮i̧̮͎̜̙̖͔̤ti҉̖͚ͅn̪̮͍̹͓g͝ ̥͈̘̯t͎͝ḫ̖̣͢e̗̲̯̣͉ͅ ͖̣̼̘͇̕ͅS̭̪̠̩͖͉̯p̻̥a͎̲͈c̠͉͔̗e̹̰̙͔͕̠̫͡ ̟̞͖͙̞̩̹M͠a͉͓r͏̟in̢̼̗e̺͇͙͙̩͚s̪̱̦̖ ̳̣͠to̝̱ ̹͠d̤̘̩̖̝ro̭p͔͇̱̦ e̸v̯͈͍e͜r̝͕̬̲y̲̻͍̖̣t̰̰h҉̦̪̰͎̱i̼͓͚n͖̺̗g͔͇͉̻ ͍͓̭̦̯̳͎t͈̹h͚͕e̥͎y̭̬͎̹̯ ̹̱̜̦̲̭̼w͏e̛̘̫̯r̮̙͙͉͍̕e̝̠̦̗̲ͅ ̤ḓ̠͙̜̗̗̹͟o̖̦͈̘̟̖i̘͕̦͙͚̹n͉̰̮͘g̪̠̯̘͘,͡ ͇̩̪͕̣a̡͎͙n͈̝̩̲̺d̪̯̗̯̟́ͅ ̫r̡e̲̹̱͢m̟̳̱̮o̢̳̤̣͈v͡e̯̬ ̫t̮̱̰̱̰͜h̷̗͈̫̫è͕̳̙̹̬͓͚ ̘̗͎͎T͇͚̤̘̯ͅa̛̮̯̫̳̮͙̘u͓̯͈͎͝.̘̱͎̗̮̩ ̦͍̮̭̱́ͅTh̟̳͍̘̲̙̪e̵̬ ͇T͇̳̬̹a̠̜u̯̪̦̫̤̳͡ͅ ̙̥́w̵̯̜e̥̫͎r̗̙̬̹̹ẹ̣͙ ̫̪̩̰̗̖ͅń̫o̹̘͔t̵̥̩ ͕͈̣͠o͠ņ̺̻͖͇ͅḷ̬̲͖̳̝y̬ ̴͔͕̟̙͇͇͉u͕̥̳̦̥̭͠np̶̳ͅr̳̰̕e͓̥̙͕̙p̡̘a̬r̳̺͉͉e͎͘ḑ ̴̞͓ͅf̷͖o̵̖͔̲͇r̪̞̳͘ ͍̤̯̟͟a̜̦̭̺̯n͓̪͙̳͎̦ͅ ̭̺̦͚̬͎a̸̪͇͍t̺͠t͕̹̮a̡c͓̘̰͡k̗̖̟̪̮,͚̫͍͔̩ͅ ̖͉̮b̼̙͔͖̺̦̯u̧͍t̙̻͎̹̮̩ ̲̞̪̦͙̠̥wḛ͉̜͈r̬̠e̙̲̹̣͈̹ ͎͔̩g̳̞̩̝͉̱͢re͎̙̬̖̺̬͔͢a̴t̹̪ͅl̞̗̼y̬̲ͅ ̳̥̘̜̞ò̟͇̦͕u͍͔̙͉̮̝̲t̰̬n̬u͙̝̺͈͠m͇͓b̻̦̗̼̠̜e̡̙̺ͅr̳͇͇̪͔̬̰,͎̞̥̤̗͜ ̴̩̙s̲o͙̹̼ ̯͖͚͖̮̞̻m͚̱͎͠u̠͖̣͘c̩͎h̵̩̫ ̛͈̖̻̟͖ͅs͎͈͈͍͍̱͍o̤͕̼ ̣͞t̪͙̺̗̳̦͟ͅh̺̯ͅe͙̠̺ͅ ̥̯̣͘ͅS̼̜̱̤̮p̸͍͚͔̼̻a̞͟c̦̰e̺͚̞̟ M҉̫̪̻͍͉̰a̵̳̹̯͖̤ṟ̫i̥͕͍͖n̖̬e͇s̖̮̝̳̙ͅ ̵̯̫͎̮͇̯͎h͖a͕̪̹̞̟d̰ ̠̲̬̥͞t͢i̥̬̱͈͈m̠͖̮̻̠͚̼ę̝̜͔ ̡͖̺̯t͖͓o ͉̱̙̯̰in̟v̛̘̫̳͓̝̠e̱͔̦̦͍̕n̞̬̲͉̱͚t ͡a͞ ͓̹̺̜̤͖͢n͉͈̱̩͙e͚̹͕̯̞͜w͙̠ ̣̙͓͇̻̦g̘̭̤̟̲͈a̦͕͕̻͎̼m͡ḙ̡̗ ̪̺͚͡t̻̦h̢̝̼̟͕̱͈at̵̤̱̼̣̱ ̜̥̘̜̬i̡ń̫̙̝̼͇̯v͔͉̜̹̩̻o̧̰͍̦̳͕l͈͎̞͔̥̗͝v̴e̷̳d̼̝̫̺͔̩̬͢ ̰p̴̯̫̻͍̦̳̰u҉̪͓̥̪͈̞̲t͉͕̰̠̳̮͡t͕͍̞̬̬i͞n̮̳͢g͕̜̮̠̞͍̟ ̝͠țͅh̦̫͕͚̩e̪͜ ̻̻̦ͅT͓̞̪̗̫͠a̡͙͕u̸̖ ̵͔͇̪͕̪i̙̰̼̳̜̗̮n̹̤̪͇̪t͡o҉̪̮̰̼ ̹c̲̖̘ͅa͍͔g̨̺̲e̮̞s͏͈,̣͖͇́ ̭̯ḁ̸̜͈̣̮̖nd̙͖̘̘̹ ͓͖̺̜̫͡s͇̞̩̥̀ͅͅe̞̙͓͈̰̰e̩̯̯͖̣͘in҉̭͖͙ģ̟͈ ̠̝̭͕̜̝͖h̯͓͕̥͓́ͅo̠͕̳͓̕ẉ͖̯̙ ̝͚̦̰͈̯f̸a̜͖r̖̪͕̮̗ ̗̙̙̲̘̬̀t̹̞̻̰͎h̗ḙͅy̢̗̫ ̜͎̮͇̰̼c͕̕o̮͘u̲̼͖̱̮̦ͅl̴ḍ̡̼̥̦̙̫͔ ͎̣̣̪̮͇ͅt̵ḥ̥r̷̫̲ó͚͓w̮͎̝͔̱̝͟ ̙͈̦̮̮͎̥͟t̶͈hͅe̷͔̬̮͖̯ḿ̲̭̥̟̲.͎̺̟ ̵͈̰̻Ṇ̴̪o̴̯̗̻͉̻̱ ͇̙͖̭̣o̺̯̘͖̜̱n͙ẹ̲͚ ͉͍̲̠̪k͕̜̼ne̥͙̘̳͔w̳ ̬̠at̜̤͖̟͓͘ ̬̤̫̯̖̳̤̕t҉̥̘h̘̞̬̹̜̩͓e̪̱ͅ ̠̜̗̹̻̺͕͢ti̞͉m̖̗e͇̱,̕ ̲̲̫̖͖͉bu̖̖̼̲̟̼͡t͕͚̭͙ ̼B̗̯̭͘o͙r̯̠͔͖̯̬͢ẹ̮͉̻͚͘ḁ̥͍͉̦l̛̙̞̼̻̗̠ͅe͓͈̟̬͖͖̮ ͚̺͚̗h̼͍̜͇̺a̴t̼͓̻̰̲e̜͖͙̟̥̻d ̷̤̮͖̼͚͕X̹̦̩̝͔̘͔́e̡̦̪͖̤͕̹̹n̺̪͝o̹̮̖̠̱s̛̞͔̬ ̥ş̮̗o̗͔̦̻̣ ̞m̶ṷ̳̟̞c̷̹̻̙̬̠̩h͎͎͎͙,̧̦͚̠̼͙ͅͅ ͚̰̩̞t̝͚͔͙h̥͈̯a̸̜͖̤̞̜̲t̲̠̯ ̪̪͖͍̕e̝v̟̦̪͎͙͖̲ę̦̗n̛̙̬͖̥ͅ ̭i͍̰̥͎f ̝̖̩͈͟ͅͅt̮̖͘h͏̙͔̲e̸̙̟͈̝̦ ̪̼͓͉m҉̻̜̯̭i҉̥̻̪͔̦̣͈n̰͕̩̼̥̞ͅi͈̯n̟̺̭̠g ̪̜̱͓ḇ̱̻͙̜̤͖a͈̞ͅs͓e͜ ͇̫̗̠̮ͅw̛̯̟̪̹̯̤̘as̡̬ṉ̻̙͝'͖͉̩ͅt̶͔̞̤̰̫ ̥̗̰̪͚̪̣i̫̮̖ͅn͔̱̪̙͓̤̖͠t̼̗er̶f̺̼͉͖̬e͕r͏̗i̹̪͞n̠͎̪̦g̴̥ ͇̘͠w͎̦̬iṱ̙̬͍̣͇̭h̳̟͍̫̭̺͞ ̺I͇̦͕̥͕̬̫m͈̜̳͙͙p̸e҉͍̖̠̣̪ͅr̲͎̦͔̲i̦͡a̯̲ḽ͇̭͔͈͙͔ ͜c̲̥̮̗om̛͚̱̗̯̝̙m̗͇̤͕̥͡u̸͇͖͈ͅn͉͚͙͠ͅi̜̻̠̯̩c̨͈a̼̠̠͠ti̢̭̬̮͖̘̣ͅo͕̜͎͓͓n̤̙̱̞͇̭s̮̪̼̗̠̲͉͢, ̱̘̺́h̯̮e̤̜͓̹̙̝ ͖̯͚̝w͎̩̪̜̣o̕u͙͝l̸̺̩̤͈ͅͅd̷͖̟̳̠̗ ͇̜̯h͏̻͕̱a͍͙̰̥̠ͅv̗͈̲̲̥̤͔e̡̫ ̛͉͓į͙n̬͖̼̬̯v̛̩̟̪̬̥àd͕̘̺̘̫͝e͠d ̰̹̞͎̫ͅț̘h̪e̝̪͇̠͖̤m̵̙͎̫̰ ̪͉͖̞͎̥͘a̠͉n̼͖̮̠̟͉̬y̟w̡̖̲͕̠̲ͅa͙y̩̟̭̣̯!̠; ̱͎͙̘̹͟s̰̳̦͠i̖m̯̪p͈̠͡l͔̫͉͘y̧̯͈̫̗̜͉̱ ̨̳̗b̤́e̩͓̝̗̼̬͢c̴a͏̥̰u͖̳̲̫s̰̮͕ͅe̲̠̖ ̛̣̩̥̦̭̻̠t͎h̙eỵ ̨͔̖̫̹̙̤w̫͔͕̤͓̱e̦r̫͖͔e͏͉ ̠͈̹̙̯̠͡ͅt̯̝̖͚̦̫̣́h̼̥̪̝́ḙ̬͉̳̼r͇̝̤̯̪̀ͅe̪͎͉̝̥̬͙.
That's right voice in me head! :D
Ȉ̹̜̖̝͕̩̀̾̚s̩̥͇̓̿̄͒͗͌ ̲̳̣̗̤̿̀ͣ̏͛t͒͏h̻̫͉̳̜̩͕͌ͫ͞i̴͇̞̯̦͕̞͑̿̃̂̓̽s̩̊̀ͩ̑͟ ̥̮n̎ǫ͉̣̻͖͛ͩ͋t͔̙̺̱͑̅ͩ ̟̪ͤ͒ͨͪ͋ͫp̟̥͍̖͝l̶͍̰̗̲̎̂̃ͪ͑ę̰̯͍͇ͯͅͅa͗̏͆҉͔̬͙̫̪s̨̊ͩ͗̓̊̑i͚̳͔̙͎͚̗̿̐ͫ̉̿n̘͍̦̯ͫ̽̀̀ͦͮ̕g̗͇̯ͩ̎̎ͨ̒͆̎ ͖̥̓ͦ̈́̄́t̳̮̤̬̊̀̏̚o͂̉ ͆ͯ̾̀҉̝ȳ̝͂ͭ̽̌o̳̣͕ͭ̇u͇̱͙͚͉̓͠?̗̜͙̻͖̒̃ͮ̀̈̉̃͠ ̪̜͖̺͓̎͗̊ͩ̽͋̅͢V̧̺͖̣̟̹̩ͯ͑̌́̏̊ͪͅȯ̩̞̱̪̇̽̏̏ͧ͡ī̢͙̙̭̚ͅc̥̭͓͇ͭe̷̤̿̓̎̈́̆͂̆ ̹̂̀̉̈́ͣ̚i̛̞̯͔ͭ͒ͭͅn̻̈̽̋̂͛̂ ̸̭m̠͕͎͓͉̝̃̐͗ȇ͚ͭͧ̉͊̌ͩ͟ ̖̰̈́ͯ͒ͦ̀̑̚̕h̲̲̗͓͒ͣ͆ͨ̋̇̚e̝͎̥̙͖̋ͫ͌ͥ̀a̵̼͈̱͉͔̠̐͋̾͋̇͛ͣd͝ ͓̟͚̰̙͇̹̆c̮͍͖͕̤͉̮ͨ̓́͠ä͖́͆̚͜nͮ̍ͭ͊̚ͅ ͖͈̥̰̤̔ͥͬ̿f̻̼̞̦̪̫̑ͤ͋̽i̵̖̣̩̭͊̋̓ẋ̯ ̴͍̻̮̤͈̩ͮͅ
t̛̜̟̲͔̹̼͌ͬh̺̹ͯ͊̓̔̽̈͋a̖͕͎͍̲͖͚̾̍ͭͦ̾̽t̵͉͍̪̗͖̄̆̈͐̀.̸̰̝͎̪̀̊ͬ.̙͂͒͆̋̃̆̔ͅ.̵ͦ̓͗
¿s!Ⴁʇ s,ʍoႡ
That's a rather expansive question, it would take alot of space, time and effort to develop a thesis about it. Research about the subject and draw your own conclusions or settle for a non conclusive answer that will mislead you into a wrong and/or incomplete concept.
This is what bothers me about this place.
But VinnyB and JD777 managed to give short but interesting answers.you need to take that stick outta your ass.
I don't believe there is something wrong with the way I rationalize, there are multiple philosophical variations and interpretations. So I'm quoting this article:
It seems simple enough. What’s normal is what most people do. Or perhaps what most people do, or what typical people do, or what most typical people do. It’s definitely what normal people do --- but that’s circular.
There seem to be two related senses or uses of `normal’. There’s what we might call the statistical sense: here normal is the average, the mean, or perhaps the median, or the typical. Then there’s the normative sense of normal. Normative means that what’s normal is what lives up to the norms, the standards.
But which norms? There’re lots of norms, that it’s not normal to live up to. The standard, or norm, for an Olympic athlete is hours of practice a day. But that’s not normal. Your normal Olympic athlete, not to mention your normal philosophy professor, is not normal at all.
I think we have two issues here. One is: what’s the relation between normal in the statistical sense, and in the normative sense. We seem to slide from one to the other quite easily. If the average Olympic runner practices ten hours a day, then that’s the standard for practice you can expect to be required to meet if you want to be an Olympic athlete.
The second issue is how norms vary from activity to activity, commitment to commitment, and whether there are universal norms, and a universal sense of normality, for just being a person---minimal standards we have a right to expect people to meet --- standards of rationality, and moral standards.
With respect to the first question, it seems to me there are two ways we go from normal in the statistical sense to normal in the normative sense. Think about conventions. If I’m in England, and discover that, insane as it seems, everyone drives on the left, then driving on the left is normal in the statistical sense. I’d better drive on the left too. The statistics dictate a norm; what people usually do is, as David Lewis said, the solution to a coordination problem. What’s normal is normative.
The other way to get from the normal to the normative is suggested by the runner and the philosophy professor. Here we have groups of people with something like similar goals and ambitions: to win the Olympics; to do philosophy, be respected in the profession perhaps, and make a living at it. If there are common strategies and habits that successful people with a goal --- normal in the statistical sense --- have used, they will tend to become norms; that is, strategies and habits that people are expected to conform to, if that’s their ambition.
This is at most a start on the topic What Is Normal? But there's still the whole issue of what’s normal in mental and physical health. It’s not clear either of our methods get us from the normal to the normative there. Instead, there seems to be something like an ideal, one that might tell us what a normal person is, even if people normally don’t live up to it. If someone says that normal Americans are abnormally heavy, and have abnormally high blood pressure, we’d understand what they meant.
- See more at: http://www.philosophytalk.org/community/blog/john-perry/2013/12/being-normal#sthash.BxtICeNp.dpuf