On 8/3/19 11:12 AM, D. Margaux wrote:
The Ossification rule says "arbitrary rule changes to be made and/or arbitrary
proposals to be adopted"--that's plural changeS/proposalS. Based on the text of the
rule, Agora is Ossified if there is a combination of rule changes and/or proposals that
are IMPOSSIBLE to adopt in a four week period.
I disagree with this reading. I believe that if the author of the rule
wanted to enforce that any arbitrary set of rule changes must be enable
to be enacted, e would have written "arbitrary groups of rule changes to
be made and/or arbitrary groups of proposals to be adopted" (or
something equivalent).
2. I believe there are single rule changes that are also IMPOSSIBLE, i.e.,
where attempts to perform that single rule change would be unsuccessful. For
example:
2a. Enact a Rule of power sufficient to give effect to its terms that
states:
"Rules to the contrary notwithstanding, the Ruleset consists of this rule, the
Ruleset that was in existence on 1 August 2019, and nothing else. Rules to the contrary
notwithstanding, further rule changes are IMPOSSIBLE."
That's not impossible to enact. AIAN says:
If, but for this rule, the net effect of a proposal would cause
Agora to become ossified, or would cause Agora to cease to exist,
it cannot take effect, rules to the contrary notwithstanding. If
any other single change or inseperable group of changes to the
gamestate would cause Agora to become ossified, or would cause
Agora to cease to exist, it is cancelled and does not occur, rules
to the contrary notwithstanding.
Assuming you've prepared the ruleset for enacting this change (probably
by repealing AIAN), then you absolutely can cause this rule change. AIAN
only prohibits changes that would prospectively cause ossification. Once
AIAN takes effect, there would be no further changes to the gamestate
(or proposals to enact) that AIAN prevents, so your proposed Rule would
stand.
2b. Enact a Rule of power sufficient to give effect to its terms that
states:
"Rules to the contrary notwithstanding, the Ruleset consists of this Rule and
the rules in existence on 1 August 2019. It is and always has been IMPOSSIBLE to enact
this Rule by any means."
Trying to restore the ruleset to its current state doesn't change
anything for the same reasons as described above.
Rule 2141 says:
A rule is a type of instrument with the capacity to govern the
game generally, and is always taking effect. A rule's content
takes the form of a text, and is unlimited in scope.
It does not say that a Rule ever takes effect in the past. I don't
believe that the retroactive application works here, so it is indeed
possible to enact this rule change. And this wouldn't trigger AIAN even
under the current ruleset because to enact a rule is to create a new
rule (R105), and thus to enact a rule that already exists (whatever that
means) is not a rule change.
2c. Enact a rule of power sufficient to give effect to its terms that
states:
"Any attempt to enact this rule is IMPOSSIBLE."
This doesn't work for the same reasons as described above, the Rule
would never be taking effect at a time at which it could prevent the
rule chagne to enact it.
Jason Cobb
