Right and Rule Versus Privilege, Responsibilities and Trust

Computer Ethics Institute, May 7, 1992

Maarten van Swaay, Computing and Information Sciences, Kansas State University


“The enforcement of any right claimed by one person imposes constraints on others. Rules can make it possible to have such constraints enforced by proxy. Rules are enumerated; they cannot cover a continuum of circumstances. If an attempt is made to define all behavior by rule, then either the rules will be untenable and/or will be ignored, or people will be degraded to machines.”


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