Text ==== The original version of Rule 2437 (The Dungeon Master) generally allows/allowed the Dungeon Master to set properties of the rule itself.
Caller's Arguments ================== I note that I consider Rule 2437 an entity pertaining to the PoA. (It is certainly a rule pertaining to the PoA, and a rule is a type of entity.) And rule text is a property. Accordingly, I hereby provide public notice that I intend to cause Rule 2437 to amend itself (set its text) to read: [omitted] The original rule ================= The Dungeon Master is an office. His weekly report includes a summary of the changes which have occured to the PoA since the previous report. The Dungeon Master's monthly report includes a summary of the entire PoA. These summaries MAY be anything whatsoever (subject to other rules), but they SHOULD follow common sense, precedent, and Agoran consensus. Provided they don't describe any entities not belonging to the PoA, such summaries inside a Dungeon Master's report are self-ratifying. The Dungeon Master CAN by Announcement cause this rule to add or remove entities to/from the PoA or set properties of entities pertaining to the PoA, unless rules to the contrary exist. Judgment: ======== I judge CFJ 3432 to be TRUE. On its surface, the CFJ asks if rule 2437's original text specified mechanisms for changing the text of rule 2437 (that work). It does indeed; rules are entities and thus the Dungeon Master could add Rule 2437 (or any other rule) to the PoA and then set its properties by announcement -- something that is part of the PoA certainly "pertains to" the PoA by any reasonable definition [1][2][3]. The question that everyone wants answered, however, is whether this was possible in the way omd attempted to do it. I don't believe the rule "belongs" to the PoA without being added to the PoA, so this depends on whether we take "belongs to" or "relates to". I'm inclined to accept the second interpretation based on my own intuition, the fact that the two people I asked to define "pertaining to" both said "related to", and the fact that it took one month for anyone to question this part of the scam. That said, I would be remiss if I did not directly address Eritivus' take on this [4]. In it, Eritivus claims: "However, "pertain" also has a distinct sense, used mainly in legal contexts, meaning "belong to as a part". There was a time when this would be enough to render R2437 unscammable, because R754 would give precedence to the legal meaning." My own research has not indicated this as the only or primary legal definition [2], but rather that there are many legal meanings and this is a meaning only found in law [3]. In fact, Burton's Legal Thesaurus lists "relate" as a legal synonym of "pertain". Eritivus continues: ""Pertaining to" is obviously used as a synonym for "contained in", "inside" and "belonging to", and as the effect of "add to" (i.e. adding an entity to the PoA is to cause it to pertain to the PoA)." No definition that I have seen would treat "pertaining to" as a synonym with "inside" or "contained in", nor would any legal definition of "inside" be synonymous with "belonging to" [2]. However "contained in", "belonging to", and (possibly) "inside" could be synonyms if the PoA was interpreted as a set of elements, making it a logical concept. As I could not find a definition of "pertaining to" restricted to logic, this brings us again to the common meaning, "related to". [1] Wiktionary - https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page pertain: 1. to belong 2. to relate, to refer, be relevant to belong: 2. to be part of, or the property of 5. to be an element of a set relate: 4. to have a connection refer: 4. to allude to, make a reference or allusion to [2] Burton's Legal Thesaurus (4E) - http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/ pertain: appertain, be appropriate, be associated with, be concerned with, be connected to, be suitable, bear upon, befit, behoove, belong, concern, have implications for, have interrelationship with, have reference to, have reeation to, have relevance, have significance for, refer, relate, stand in relation to, tie in with, touch upon pertaining to: See: comparative, germane, incident, relevant inside: See: herein, interior, internal [3] Oxford Dictionary - http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us pertain 1. Be appropriate, related, or applicable to 1.1 (chiefly Law) Belong to something as a part, appendage, or accessory 2. Be in effect or existence in a specified place or at a specified time [4] http://www.mail-archive.com/agora-business%40agoranomic.org/msg26787.html
