[blml] The Elephant [SEC=UNOFFICIAL]

[richard.hills at immi.gov.au]

Grattan Endicott:

>>+=+ Perhaps blml should have above the gate the inscription:
>> "Abandon all hope (of a simple answer) ye who enter here"

Nigel Guthrie:

[snip]

>Arguably this is not a reflection on the quality of [blml]
>contributions but is an indictment of present rules.

[snip]

>If you dip into the current rules you sometimes feel that they
>are *deliberately* ambiguous.

[snip]

>Please let there be no hint of this kind of compromise in the
>new edition of the laws.

Richard Hills:

Firstly, it is way too easy to inadvertently write an ambiguous
set of rules (see the discussions on the strategy boardgame
equivalent of rec.games.bridge, BoardGameGeek).  Therefore, the
facts do not justify an assumption that the Duplicate Laws were
_deliberately_ drafted with ambiguity.

Secondly, it is irrelevant whether or not a few of the many
ambiguities in the 1997 Lawbook were deliberately introduced.
What is important is that all ambiguities are eradicated from
the forthcoming 2008 Lawbook.

Thirdly, I think Nigel's "arguably" can indeed be argued
against.  In my opinion, no matter how carefully the Drafting
Committee concludes its elephantine task, there will be blind
blmlers who will choose to interpret the 2008 Lawbook not as
the intended elephant, but instead as a wall, spear, snake,
tree, fan or rope.

:-)

Best wishes

Richard James Hills
Divisional Executive Officer unit
People Services, Values & Training Division
(02) 6225 6285

John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887):

>It was six men of Indostan
>To learning much inclined,
>Who went to see the Elephant
>(Though all of them were blind),
>That each by observation
>Might satisfy his mind.
>
>The First approached the Elephant,
>And happening to fall
>Against his broad and sturdy side,
>At once began to bawl:
>"God bless me! but the Elephant
>Is very like a wall!"
>
>The Second, feeling of the tusk
>Cried, "Ho! what have we here,
>So very round and smooth and sharp?
>To me 'tis mighty clear
>This wonder of an Elephant
>Is very like a spear!"
>
>The Third approached the animal,
>And happening to take
>The squirming trunk within his hands,
>Thus boldly up he spake:
>"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
>Is very like a snake!"
>
>The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
>And felt about the knee:
>"What most this wondrous beast is like
>Is mighty plain," quoth he;
>"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
>Is very like a tree!"
>
>The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
>Said: "E'en the blindest man
>Can tell what this resembles most;
>Deny the fact who can,
>This marvel of an Elephant
>Is very like a fan!"
>
>The Sixth no sooner had begun
>About the beast to grope,
>Than, seizing on the swinging tail
>That fell within his scope.
>"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
>Is very like a rope!"
>
>And so these men of Indostan
>Disputed loud and long,
>Each in his own opinion
>Exceeding stiff and strong,
>Though each was partly in the right,
>And all were in the wrong!
>
>Moral:
>
>So oft in theologic wars,
>The disputants, I ween,
>Rail on in utter ignorance
>Of what each other mean,
>And prate about an Elephant
>Not one of them has seen!

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