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There is a difference between what individual lawyers want due to incentives, and what lawyers know is right. As an example, consider a similar case with progra

There is a difference between what individual lawyers want due to incentives, and what lawyers know is right. As an example, consider a similar case with programmers. It is in any individual programmers interest to right highly specialized, non-reusable code, as this keeps them employed. However most would also agree that generic, reusable code is better for the system as a whole. In the same way, lawyers can recognize that special cases make the system worse, while still pursuing special cases for personal benefit.

dctoedt 13y ago
> ... lawyers can recognize that special cases make the system worse, while still pursuing special cases for personal benefit. This is eminently true -- but many, many lawyers would argue fiercely that special cases make the system better: more flexible, more accommodating of the needs of real people, etc. It's hard to say how much of that is due to incentives affecting perception. To quote Upton Sinclair, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!" [1] [1] http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Upton_Sinclair http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Upton_Sinclair