Social Axioms

27 June 2015 © Vitali Kaufman

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Content

·       Supplements

Formulation of the problem

Select and clearly articulate a set of statements about facts, properties of social reality that can serve as a basis for the development of rules of social intercourse, aimed at optimizing explicitly selected parameters ( * ) human society.

Allegations of the most important properties of the facts of social reality I call social axioms. They are designed to work in the discussions on the updated social rules is quite similar to how work mathematical axioms to prove mathematical theorems.

To solve the task - to create a coherent set of social axioms - is inconceivable without the active discussion. I would be glad if these notes will serve as the basis for such a discussion.

See also Registration revolution, Social rules, Cult of understanding, FAQ.

Who, where and why

Statement of the problem and the facts themselves, the axiom does not necessarily have to be taken, or even confident enough understood by all or even a majority - is assumed to be a high level of training to the manipulation of the wording and reasoning. An axiom need to justify and facilitate the creation of rules of social intercourse.

On the other hand, own the social rules are just for general use and for this reason should be clear to almost anyone who wants to.

These notes are based on my personal experience, including the experience of father and grandfather, as well as professional experience at least in math, programming and teaching.

I think this part of the professional experience is very important from the point of view of the problem - in fact we need to, in effect, do a usual job for the above category of professionals - to optimize the structure of the (self) management of a complex system. Of course, we are talking about the system of exceptional complexity - about human society.

This exceptional complexity should not be forgotten, but it is hoped that a common culture of working with complex systems is rather useful than harmful.

On the other hand, the author does not claim any expertise in the social sciences. It is possible that the lack thereof will be more beneficial than harmful.:)

Axioms are presented in the form of a triad (with possible additions, comments, explanations):

Facts-axioms

  1. Almost any statement, position or opinion concerning the society, can be subjected to well-founded criticism
  2. The planning horizon key influences on behavior in society
  3. Scam is extremely easy if you are happy to be deceived  
  4. The justice is not exist and can’t exist ( * )
  5. Interest - the main stimulus to act
  6. Monopoly dangerous
  7. People are different (*)
  8. Time and attention - the most important irreplaceable resource
  9. By good intentions without profound knowledge paved the road to hell
  10. The larger the size of the crowd, the crowd is more stupid
  11. State must be exactly as much as is absolutely necessary (i.e. as little as possible)
  12. The right - at whose expense (*)
  13. The tax system conflicts with the creator
  14. The more answers, the more questions
  15. Randomness is no less important than regularity
  16. Bad law worse than the lack of law
  17. Re-upbringing of criminals is not justified
  18. Want  peace - prepare for war
  19. Migration issues - the key issues of the day
  20. The existing structure of authority is not fully fit to our  super-dynamic society
  21. There is another cost revolution - registration revolution
  22. The displacement of people from the sphere of production and service by robots will lead in the coming years to the employment revolution

Supplements

17.12.15. Glad to thank Valeri Väisänen and Nikolai Mustonen for very productive discussions.

Terminology

19.7.20 The term “social axioms” (“Social Axioms”) is used in the work of M. Bond and K. Leung with co-authors and their followers in a completely different sense - as the most common human beliefs about oneself, about other people, social environment, physical or spiritual world, as a central to a person's belief system.

Social axioms in my sense are not beliefs, but facts about the structure of society (and not personal beliefs, not personality traits). It is the facts that are worth identifying, formulating, explaining in order to build social rules on their basis.

It is rather strange to call the beliefs of a specific individual as social axioms.

Prohibitions counterproductive

Super-fresh example: the Belgian police and WhatsApp

Instead of prohibitions need methods of struggle, incentives, propellants of what they are trying to ban

On justice

The wording has repeatedly offered to change to "Absolute justice is not exists and can’t exist.". I prefer to leave as is. Otherwise, focus moves to the word "absolute" and the axiom is trivial (absolute nothing at all and can’t be J), but the essence escapes.

Of course, we are not talking about the absence of the notion or feeling of justice, the existence of which there is no reason to doubt.

The thing is that in many important situations, there are no criteria of justice that are acceptable to all. And not because someone does not want it, but because the existence of these criteria , in principle, impossible .

On the other hand, the idea of justice, adopted by an individual or group of people of justice criteria - a powerful motivator of behavior. Even though so a way to resolve arising in connection with the concept of justice conflicts should be provided in the social rules. Traditional and natural social institution for this - the court .

It is important that the court dealt primarily just resolution of conflicts, the search for compromise, for balance of interests, and not a statement of "fairness".

03.30.16. In the formulation and interpretation of this axiom is considered a comment by Vladimir Chukharev on 30/03/2016 at 00:52.

The interest

Of course, a person or a group is not always understands (recognizes) of the interest or does not always act in accordance with it, even when understands. However, the complexity of the relation of interest and actual behavior does not interfere confidently assumed right and possible to put the concept of interest, incentives abd balance of interests into the basis of social rules.

Equality

The idea of ​​human equality in one way or another often aspires to the role, logically it is not appropriate in the hierarchy of priorities. It can be, and has been extremely relevant in certain historical circumstances, but in the formulation of general rules of its dormitories should be used with caution, carefully formulating the conditions of its applicability.

Let's say one thing - the equality of citizens before the law, it is a different matter - the claim to equality in income.

By the way, equality before the law does not prevent formulate the law so that the court could take into account the peculiarities of a person found guilty - to be effective, punishment must be borne in mind that the culprit is really a punishment, and that - is a mockery of justice.

Similar considerations dictated by a desire not to take revenge, but only the desire to make the penalty effective, comparable with the effect of imprisonment on people to hardships quite accustomed.

On the right

The essence is not in that there should be a fee for every right. The bottom line is that the right always and everywhere is paid by somebody. The desire to ensure the rights of some always means restriction of the rights of others, often not less socially significant rights. An explicit statement of this fact in the form of axioms only underlines this fact so that the social rules should not never ignore it.

The right to oblivion

No danger to society?

Decision-makers on parole, is not directly responsible to the potential victims discharged to freedom of convicted criminals, including those committed very serious crimes. Feedback between the decision of the "expert" and a potential victim of his(her) decision is absent.