How do we change the normative landscape by making requests? It will be argued that by making requests we create reasons for action if and only if certain conditions are met. We are able to create reasons if and only if doing so is valuable for the requester, and if they respect the requestee. Respectful requests have a normative force – it will be argued – because it is of instrumental value to us that we all have the normative power of creating reasons by making requests. The normative power has the potential for creating and shaping valuable interactions and relationships for the requester and the requestee. This potential could not be realized if we did not have the normative power of making requests. It will also be shown why this account of the normative force of requests should be preferred to the two alternative accounts of the reason-giving force of requests that have been put forward by James H.P. Lewis and David Enoch.

我们如何通过提出请求来改变规范态势？可以说，只有在满足某些条件的情况下，通过提出要求，我们才能提出采取行动的理由。当且仅当这样做对请求者有价值并且他们尊重被请求者时，我们才能够创建原因。值得一提的是，尊重的请求具有规范性的力量，因为我们所有人都有通过提出请求创造理由的规范能力，对我们具有工具价值。规范能力具有为请求者和被请求者创建和塑造有价值的交互作用和关系的潜力。如果我们没有发出请求的规范能力，那么这种潜力就无法实现。