Re-visiting rules and norms

Abstract

Rules (i.e. formal rules) are injunctions, constituted by social phenomena. They are learned, mutually understood, located in artefacts and govern agents’ actions. When rules are broken, formal sanctions occur. They are cognised and followed consciously. When rules are followed directly, they govern agents’ actions. Rules always exist separately from the agents in a rule-circle. Whilst the term unofficial or informal rules is widely used, I consider this to be a mistake: informal rules are not real, the term reifies them. Norms are injunctions are constituted by socio-cognitive phenomena. They are learned, mutually understood and located as memories of past actions, in agents’ cognitive systems. They govern agents’ actions. Norms are cognised and followed with varying degrees of (un)consciousness. They are always internal to agents, located in their cognitive systems.