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From: chelsea@dartvax.UUCP (Karen Christenson)
Newsgroups: net.legal,soc.singles
Subject: Re: Swinging fists (was AG's Commission ...)
Message-ID: <5187@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Sep-86 09:41:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.5187
Posted: Wed Sep 24 09:41:47 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Sep-86 01:12:47 EDT
References: <1487@mtx5a.UUCP> <1233@princeton.UUCP>
Reply-To: chelsea@dartvax.UUCP (Karen Christenson)
Distribution: net
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
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Xref: linus net.legal:4848 soc.singles:216

>> "Your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins."
>> 			-- generally attributed to Will Rogers
>> 
>> 			-- johnmill
>
>I'd like to point out that if I have a heart condition, your right to swing
>your fist may well end a good deal further away than that; and if you don't
>have good evidence that I don't suffer from a heart condition, you'd better
>be prepared to expect that I do, or you might find out in a way that would
>probably leave you rather sorry.
>
>	from Mole End			Mark Terribile
>		(scrape .. dig )	mtx5b!mat

     Any action can have unforeseen consequences - the ripple effect and all
that.  So *anything* I do, even something seemingly minor (like brushing my
hair), could conceivably have negative consequences.  I can't prove that it
won't.  So maybe I should do nothing.  Only that might have negative
consequences, too ....
     I realize you said "good evidence" of a condition.  Is there also "good
evidence" that swinging a fist at someone with a heart condition will is
hazardous to his/her health?  Anything is possible; the question is whether
it's probable.  If we can't be omniscient, at least we can be sensible.
     What bothered me about the posting is that it takes a general principle,
not a hard-and-fast rule, and tries to tie it down with a bunch of what-ifs.
It's a common tendency, but usually not a very productive one.

						Karen Christenson
"Mostly harmless."				...!dartvax!chelsea
			Have an adequate day.