tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054888927218536027.post4550463742142053886..comments2024-02-20T08:25:06.177-08:00Comments on Confessions of ignorance: Grotiusseana grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054888927218536027.post-74050125838875402982012-03-11T16:26:34.113-07:002012-03-11T16:26:34.113-07:00I would maybe have said Machiavelli, but here is a...I would maybe have said Machiavelli, but here is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli#Influences" rel="nofollow">list</a> of those who may have influenced him.seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054888927218536027.post-53285631005588104182012-03-11T16:09:59.599-07:002012-03-11T16:09:59.599-07:00Who was the first to formulate a theory and try to...Who was the first to formulate a theory and try to formulate codes of conduct for relations among states?Peter Rozovskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09977933481463759162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054888927218536027.post-51661634801036059752012-03-11T14:27:37.851-07:002012-03-11T14:27:37.851-07:00Grundnorm, huh? I was still struggling with my ign...Grundnorm, huh? I was still struggling with my ignorance about positivism.<br /><br />I think having to go back and justify things by referring to the Constitution probably goes against certain elements of the American personality. But as someone who lived, as Grotius did, in a situation of constant turmoil, might say, structure and precedent are more peaceable than non-structure for human social life.<br /><br />The thing I always find funny about people rushing to say some U.S. action is illegal is that the higher realms of government is teeming with lawyers. So I'd assume that the first thing they'd do is find the legal pretext for doing whatever dastardly thing they have in mind.seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054888927218536027.post-47370619968148714702012-03-11T14:05:36.227-07:002012-03-11T14:05:36.227-07:00Seana
Where laws come from is a very curious, cir...Seana<br /><br />Where laws come from is a very curious, circular process. We all know that Congress makes the law but where is the law that says we have to obey Congress? Well that's the Constitution, but where's the law that says we have to obey the Constitution? Well the Constitution was ratified by the assemblies of the original 13 states. Where's the law that says that we should obey those assemblies or accept what they did 230 years ago as being valid now? At some point you basically have to stop asking why and admit that the Grundnorm (theres another word for you) is an axiom that you just have to have faith in. <br /><br />As mysterious as law is, international law is even more mysterious. Some people say that in fact there's no such thing as international law at all. Its been my experience that when someone says that such and such an act was illegal under international law the person saying this has no idea what they are talking about. What they actually mean is that a certain sovereign power violated a treaty obligation with another sovereign.adrian mckintyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03349942973907386269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054888927218536027.post-87597895452153704542012-03-11T11:11:53.109-07:002012-03-11T11:11:53.109-07:00The text is actually interesting to read from my b...The text is actually interesting to read from my brief perusal of it. I'm going to edit my post to add a link to shorter more managale portions of the book. <br /><br />It's not that everyone has to read Grotius. It's that if you're going to start arguing about international law, you would be wise to have this one under your belt.seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054888927218536027.post-20901113463209784202012-03-11T09:28:31.957-07:002012-03-11T09:28:31.957-07:00Very cool! And, uh, thanks for the link....!Very cool! And, uh, thanks for the link....!Kathleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06559881249054540947noreply@blogger.com