The role of connections as minimal norms in normative systems

The paper aims at developing an algebraic representation of normative systems by sets of minimal norms, "connections", within relational structures called condition implication structures. It is shown that, given some general presuppositions, a normative system is completely determined by its set of connections, and that comparisons between normative systems can be made by considering whether connections in one system are narrower or wider than in another. The general framework for the study is Boolean algebra and a relational structure called Boolean quasi-ordering.