Nathans Government Theory

Connections


 * Politics
 * Economics
 * Law
 * Conscience law

Scope


 * Theoretical / metaphysics foundation for government and law

Overview
Begin with pure physics. Construct from there.

Terms
Arranged in order of dependence

Primary

 * Object - some set of particles that is typically physically joined together or grouped in a logical manner
 * Space - physical space (which must be arbitrarily defined according to some reference points, typically earth)
 * Information - non-physical concept, pattern, etc.

Individuals

 * Individual - creature that has sentience and the ability to act in the physical world. Probably this only applies to humans. Maybe this implies age of accountability.
 * Behavioral pattern - a deterministic (but vague due to practical) algorithm (information) to describe how an individual will act in the world in specific situations (does not necessarily describe full scope of behavior)
 * Goal - or "intent". Heuristic formula or bounded group of acceptable world-states (information) that an individual is trying to achieve. Might have additional priority information (this goal is more important than another, is willing to sacrifice such and such...)

Property

 * Property
 * Definition
 * Object, space, or information is the property of an individual if that person has declared it so. Therefore property starts as a term relative to individuals.
 * Declaring something as property is describing either a behavioral pattern or goal or both related to that object. Therefore "property" can be a bit blurry. (i.e. I'm willing to defend this property with my life, but not that other property)
 * Subtypes
 * Physical property
 * Retail property - better to call this land property?
 * Intellectual property - information property. Questions about whether this should even be a thing

Contracts and liberty

 * Recognize/acknowledge - Another person can recognize/acknowledge another individuals declaration of behavioral pattern, goal, or property. This recognition could just mean "message received" or "I will not interfere"
 * Contracts - contracts can be formed by back and forth or simultaneously through discussion (kind of the same thing, I guess). All individuals ("parties") make statements and then trust (or don't trust, I guess) each other
 * Freedom of association - Individuals trust each others statements at whatever rate or circumstances they calculate best, and are free to make contracts with each other and trust each other as they predict it will benefit them
 * Governments - governments are simply large, complex contracts among large groups of people
 * Liberty - liberty is someone's ability to act, outside of the property claims of others
 * Dispute - two people make conflicting property claims or behavioral patterns and cannot resolve peacefully. Therefore it is resolved by force. Sometimes the more powerful may already have their way, and so the lesser does not attempt, or the powerful simply takes by threat of force but no object is wasted.

Force and law

 * Force - Is acting contrary to someone's assumed, implied, or explicit goals
 * Yes, it is that broad. Acting in this way causes conflict. If someone claimed every cookie ever to be made, if I eat ones I made is that force? Yes.
 * Alternate definition - Is acting contrary to common law?
 * If a dispute cannot be agreed upon, force necessarily occurs?
 * What if a thief is confronted and refuses to give back, but owner is afraid so walks away? The thief exercised force? I guess.
 * Law - laws are very complex contracts between large groups of people (governments??) that include force. They describe the behavioral patterns of enforcing the law and the consequences (via establishing police departments, punishments for various crimes, etc)
 * Therefore moral law, or the law of God, is just a statement from God saying "if you do this, I'll do this (whether you like it or not)".
 * Right
 * Def 1: An activity expressly protected/allowed under law. e.g. the right to assembly
 * Def 2: Def 1, but only laws given by God. E.g. the constitution "endowed by their creator with
 * Common law - within a society without formal laws, as disputes are settled, a common understanding of what happens when property claims clash (i.e. the average/aggregate goals of the 3rd party society members) is clarified.
 * In this way, in even a primitive society (one with low population density and no defined laws), things like "do not murder" should be apparent
 * Common law is relative to societies, but likely has lots of similarities between societies
 * Conscience law, God's law written on our hearts, may be one reason there is common law

There needs to be some kind of limit to the goals of others, because I could desire that you give me money, but it is not force if I refuse, right?

Normative



 * Should / normative - a normative statement like "the law should be this way" describes a fact statement of what maximizes a utilitarian calculation using the heuristic functions of all individuals, with each weighted equally
 * Libertarian -

Open questions
Is the purpose of society/ gov to minimize undue suffering? It's mixed if this is the goal of Christianity since in this world we will have suffering but at the end he will wipe away every tear.

Should anyone living in a country have to be a citizen? Probably no.

Children
 * Are children the property of their parents? Up until age of accountability, whatever that is? Or until the parents decide to release them?
 * Age of Accountability complications on when they become individuals
 * Should someone born in a country/gov automatically become a citizen?

Immigration In immigration, which is not a direct damage to the potential immigrants person or property, does it still fall within our prescriptive common law theory to allow immigration as on principle or morals?
 * Typically we favor fewer laws. We could say government shall make no law (in any area) regarding a protected class.
 * DACA or some other program limits the number of immigrants using a number. :( Are there true current limits on immigration to someone who has all their paperwork together? I think so - evidenced by people leaving paperwork at the border.