Hacker News Reader

All laws start out as simple concepts. Then they need to be applied to reality, where very few situations are simple.

Just like programming.

An operating system provide a few set of basic services to applications, but the linux kernel is some gazillion lines of code, because it has to work with reality

> but the linux kernel is some gazillion lines of code, because it has to work with reality

Rather: Because the kernel developers care far too little about keeping it small and minimal.

Humans and human societies are the most complex systems we know of, and are full of people who will exploit any edge cases or loopholes.

I think that this greatly limits how much simplification you can have in a legal system and still have it be effective.

There is always a well-known solution to fix every human problems — neat, plausible, and wrong.

Common Law is rarely simplified.