Law and Truth

If binaries are so misleading (https://open.substack.com/pub/ericpenniston/p/false-dualities?r=dwrc3&utm_medium=ios) how can we believe in the moral righteousness of a law?

I think the answer lies in distinguishing between law, fact and the truth.

Law is humans’ imperfect attempt to impose order on our behavior. We should never mistake it for Truth.

Truth lies forever just beyond the bounds of human perception. It is an ideal, in the best sense of that word. For me, trying to seek it out is one of the joys of living.

Facts are observations upon which people can agree. And disagree.

It all sounds pretty fuzzy put this way. I blame words. To me, words are inadequate to express reality. But they are the bricks we built civilization out of, so allow me to continue using them to strive for some truth here.

I say all of this, and yet I have my own clear sense of things—not so fuzzy. I prioritize the scientific method for uncovering facts. I hold certain kinds of people, often called “experts,” to have greater credibility in their areas of expertise. I trust my five senses more than most things. And I trust my intuition. I’m writing from a place of intuition.

I think everyone should seek their own non-fuzzy perspective and beliefs. I believe everyone should identify and respect facts, seek the truth, and follow the law.

If law is so imperfect, how can I be a lawyer?

I believe in creating a system of laws to structure and order society. I believe human interpretation of law is the crucial ingredient to its success. The written law is a codification of human consensus about right and wrong behavior, but it is inherently imperfect—not Truth.

We need people to continuously review, revise, and apply laws in order for Law to reflect our collective search for Truth.

Justice is another matter, for another time.