\"Reputations\" are more than just nominalist hot air

[John Young]

Responding to msg by jamesd at netcom.com (James A. Donald) on 
Sat, 3 Sep 11:51 PM

>I really do not want to digress onto the issue of 
>nominalism and  legal positivism, which is seriously 
>off topic, but a similar approach on other matters has 
>led to the catastrophic collapse  of societies in the 
>past, and I would claim that it is having  something of 
>that effect in the present.

*  *  *

>If such a system was to serve the function that 
>reputations now serve  in the real world, it would lead 
>to consequences very different from  those intended or 
>desired by Hal.


Your elaboration of this claim, to echo Tim's later post,  
would be welcomed.

Tim has mentioned before that "off topic" is solved by artful 
weaving.  Please do.


John