The Eldraeverse

2 Responses to Trope-a-Day: Blood Oath

1. Mark Atwood May 23, 2012 at 6:29 pm

   http://fallenpegasus.dreamwidth.org/410061.html

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   • Alistair Young (eldraeverse) May 25, 2012 at 9:10 am

     I always liked that one myself, and I suspect that the Imperials would generally agree.

     (They would go so far as to point out that in their system, in which one’s word is the basis of contract law, it’s useful to have the formal/informal distinction in which informal promissory statements, i.e. without “I give you my word that” or an equivalent performative prefix, come with an implicit “As reasonably interpreted; subject to circumstances and exceptions; errors and omissions excepted” attached, and don’t create a relationship your counterparty can later rely on in court.

     They’re still morally binding, and will wreck your reputational capital if you blatantly or chronically go back on such things, but requiring that small formality does recognize mortal fallibility inasmuch as you can’t screw yourself over in a real and legally binding way by, fr’example, saying, “Sure, you can come visit me anytime” and then going on holiday a couple of years later, thereby leaving your home untenanted and yourself unable to fulfil the obligations of hospitality should they happen to choose that moment to accept said offer.)

     Reply

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