'Fewer Rules, Better People,' at Gabi Cafe

Love big ideas? Interested in philosophy, whether you're a beginner or a longtime reader? This group is for people who want to dive into philosophical texts carefully and thoughtfully — not just to criticize or dismiss, but to really grapple with the ideas and see where they lead.

Please be mindful this group is organized around and for people who have never read philosophy before (it's a meetup group after all), so please be respectful of that fact even if you have read a lot of philosophy before.

Let's read
'Fewer Rules, Better People,' by Barry Lam

Barry Lam is host of the popular philosophy podcast HiPhi Nation if you're interested in learning more about him.

Book description:
"A philosopher argues that the proliferation of rules and mandates is making us dumber, less moral, more deceptive, and less able to govern important institutions.

Wherever there’s a rule, there is someone with the power to apply or ignore it―or add to it, in the interest of justice. From enforcing chores to issuing life sentences, decision-makers deliver flawed and sometimes arbitrary outcomes. But is their use of discretion good or bad overall? As a society, should we seek to minimize or maximize discretion, with all its potential for bias and other kinds of human error?

Reframing our understanding of justice and ethics, philosopher Barry Lam argues that while use of discretion―whether by a sports referee, a parent, a police officer, or a judge―can never be perfect, removing it has even more problematic effects.

Mandatory arrests and sentencing laws have not eliminated bias, but have corrupted the courtroom, institutionalized lying, and brought about even more unjust and arbitrary results. Fewer Rules, Better People is a bold, riveting treatise that sheds new light on political debates about law and justice while aiming to prepare us for the imminent threat of more “perfect,” discretion-less rule enforcement by AI."