Another stab at "The Rules"

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From: Jeff Bone (jbone@jump.net)
Date: Sun May 13 2001 - 15:37:53 PDT

Over the last few years on FoRK, we've made several attempts to
define a minimal agreeable set of "The Rules" by which society could
function. Here's another strawman:

* If you threaten me, I will stop you.
* If you wish to trade with me, I may choose to do so.
* If you need help and I can provide it, I may choose to do so.
* Otherwise, I will leave you alone.
* I expect the same in return.

In the above, "threat" should be understood to mean "anything that
without my explicit consent limits my life, liberty, property, and
pursuit of happiness." "Stop" means "take any action necessary to
prevent." "Trade" means "any mutually consensual exchange of
value." "Help" means "any unidirectional transfer of value." "Leave
you alone" means "not interfere with your own life, liberty, and
pursuit of happiness."

If we all --- and all our laws --- functioned from this simple set of
rules, wouldn't we all be better off?

jb

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