Code as Law
summary
Argues that code enforces outcomes while law interprets intent, showing concrete tensions: smart contracts run immutably on chains but courts still award damages; oracles and languages like Solidity, Viper and Rust shape what can be automated; a $15.8M exploit in cicada 137 LLC versus meded and an $8.5M withdrawal from Platos finance expose enforcement gaps; the UK’s Horizon post office failures show computer evidence and rebuttable presumption can ruin lives despite initial trust in code.
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chapters (16)
- 0:00Introduction
- 4:39Code is Law explained
- 7:46Legal ambiguity
- 11:35Enforceable contracts
- 14:24Smart contracts languages
- 20:48Real-world cases
- 28:36Computer evidence rules
- 32:30US smart contract laws
- 35:04Sovereign networks
- 37:29Hybrid contracts
- 39:37Estonia’s blockchain
- 41:23Lessig on Code is Law
- 42:50Surveillance capitalism
- 43:53Privacy enforcement
- 46:03AI and smart contracts
- 48:51Conclusion
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