Comments on: Where do laws come from? The consent of the governed? http://www.absurdintellectual.com/2009/07/07/where-do-laws-come-from-the-consent-of-the-governed/ ... since 'aught-eight. Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:33:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Grant Hamilton http://www.absurdintellectual.com/2009/07/07/where-do-laws-come-from-the-consent-of-the-governed/comment-page-1/#comment-2911 Grant Hamilton Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:09:10 +0000 http://www.absurdintellectual.com/?p=4049#comment-2911 Yeah, he chooses to think that anything not explicitly impossible must therefore be okay. Definitely rude, no matter how he frames it. Interestingly, though, for me it calls to mind the classic dictionary dilemma -- does a dictionary merely describe and collect common usage? It did once. Or does it set out rules that must be followed, as it does now? Perhaps any set of rules comes from that same descriptive origin, and turns into that same set of rigid laws that must be followed. Yeah, he chooses to think that anything not explicitly impossible must therefore be okay. Definitely rude, no matter how he frames it.

Interestingly, though, for me it calls to mind the classic dictionary dilemma — does a dictionary merely describe and collect common usage? It did once. Or does it set out rules that must be followed, as it does now? Perhaps any set of rules comes from that same descriptive origin, and turns into that same set of rigid laws that must be followed.

]]> By: MPot http://www.absurdintellectual.com/2009/07/07/where-do-laws-come-from-the-consent-of-the-governed/comment-page-1/#comment-2909 MPot Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:05:09 +0000 http://www.absurdintellectual.com/?p=4049#comment-2909 Interesting stuff. Sounds like Meyers hasn't twigged to the difference between law (the rules of the game) and etiquette/convention (the often tacit conventions of the tribe). Socially inept? Perhaps. Interesting stuff. Sounds like Meyers hasn’t twigged to the difference between law (the rules of the game) and etiquette/convention (the often tacit conventions of the tribe). Socially inept? Perhaps.

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