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> but when you really need to nail things down, with no tolerance for ambiguity, you get legalese

If only that were true. Litigation happens every single day over the meanings of contracts and laws that were drafted by well-trained and experienced attorneys.



The law is a much more ambitious attempt at formalization than any programming language, hence the more dramatic failures.

Comparatively, programming languages are very constrained. The environments in which they are interpreted and executed are far better understood than any human courtroom.

Your point is an interesting one but it’s painting with too broad a brush.


It is true. It minimizes the problem, but certainly doesn't eliminate it.


“No tolerance for ambiguity” means something. Most absolute statements are incorrect and I regularly caution my mentees against making them.

Perhaps you meant “less tolerance”?




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