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Time and time again history has shown that you can't just retrofit old laws to stuff that's "similar enough". Because the new technology is never the exact same
by cooper12 10y ago
Time and time again history has shown that you can't just retrofit old laws to stuff that's "similar enough". Because the new technology is never the exact same. Computers are not telegraphs. Email is not postal mail. Cars are not horse-drawn carriages... Law reuse is harmful because it loses nuanced differences in how these technologies operate and are used. I really think a lot of problems are linked to that, such as with drug laws. I would say we need a reform but that would require changing the DNA of the judicial systems, and like this article notes, ingrained prejudices.
- fossuser 10y agoI think our legal system does change over time with case law and interpretations of existing laws in new mediums. Though this does have the unfortunate consequence of lagging behind which can sometimes be severe.
- cooper12 10y agoThe problem is that often this case law is created looking at similar cases as precedent. Instead we should be creating new laws from scratch or else like you said we'll always be playing catchup while areas with more reasonable/reactive laws prosper. However that's antithetical to how current American law works though so it would require changing the whole DNA of the system.