Five traditions

The oldest traditions made law a decree from outside. Right that law cannot be the accused’s own opinion. Wrong to refer the outside to a source that cannot be tested.

The thirteenth century made law the rational structure of human good. Right that law must be derivable from something stable. Wrong to make the stable thing a fixed human essence.

The seventeenth century made law a contract. Right that law is the structure of the people inside it. Wrong to place the signing at a point nobody stood in.

The nineteenth century made law a command backed by recognised authority. Right that law must be enforceable. Wrong to cut the order’s legitimacy from the consequences it produces.

The late twentieth century made law restoration. Right that correction at the harm restabilises and suffering inflicted on the harm-doer does not. Wrong to make restoration the only response. Death is not restored. Sustained predation is not erased.

Five traditions. Each caught one feature. The chapter locates each in the four conditions.

This is the short edition of Ø Applications — a summary. Where a step is compressed here, the original carries it in full. The original book (PDF) · This edition (PDF)

The same page on the420code.org: the420code.org/models/applications/02-the-architecture-of-law/