There is a very remarkable inclination in human nature to bestow on external objects the same emotions which it observes in itself, and to find every where those ideas which are most present to it.
David HumeRead
We've been trained to squint into a legal microscope, hoping that we can judge any dispute against the standard of a perfect society where everyone will agree what's fair, and where accidents will be extinct, and risk will be no more.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the unrealistic expectation of achieving absolute fairness and a risk-free society through legal mechanisms.
Philip K. Howard's quote critiques the tendency of society to overly rely on legal systems to resolve disputes under a false assumption of a perfect world. He suggests that such a perspective is flawed because it ignores the inherent complexities of human nature and the inevitability of risk and accidents in life. Instead of striving for an unattainable ideal, we should recognize and manage the nuances of fairness and justice in our imperfect society.
Themes
FairnessRiskJusticeSocietyLegalDispute
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a law school discussion about the limitations of the legal system.
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