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Re: A GNU “social contract”?


From: Ludovic Courtès
Subject: Re: A GNU “social contract”?
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2019 17:40:45 +0100
User-agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/26.3 (gnu/linux)

Hello,

"Kaz Kylheku (gnu-misc-discuss)" <936-846-2769@kylheku.com> skribis:

> By the way, "contract" seems like a misnomer, because a contract is
> a signed-off agreement between two parties (or more) in which they
> exchange something of value; the contract requires a contribution
> from at least two parties.

I found Andreas’ explanation of what is meant by “social contract” and
how it differs from a civil law contract to be clear.  Anyhow, note that
the term is not new and its meaning in English should be unambiguous:

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract

>From WordNet:

  Overview of noun social_contract

  The noun social contract has 1 sense (first 1 from tagged texts)

  1. (2) social contract -- (an implicit agreement among people that
  results in the organization of society; individual surrenders liberty
  in return for protection)

> A statement of promises to behave in some ways toward some
> group (such as a "community"), who makes no reciprocal promises and
> isn't a party to the document is rather a "pledge", or
> "solemn promise" or such.

“Pledge” is also a good word, though my understanding is that it does
not capture the social commitment that “social contract” entails.

Thanks,
Ludo’.



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