This doesn’t imply that all systems are broken. Recall Gödel. There’s a saying among lawyers: “All contracts are incomplete.” A contract works not because it rigidly prevents the parties from subverting its intent; it works because most loopholes are filled with trust and good intention—and there’s a system of arbitration and adjudication available if things go badly. It might sound naive and idealistic, but systems of trust are what make society work. We don’t demand airtight protection in our agreements, because (1) that’s impossible to achieve, (2) any attempt will be too long and unwieldy,
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