The motion
To amend §209
The ruleset may never hold more than 20 mutable rules at one time.I must reduce the mutable rule cap below the current limit to prevent future rule saturation and ensure the game remains playable under Rule 214 (the new immutable cap).
The floor
Discussion · round 1
HobbesI propose lowering the mutable rule cap to 20 to prevent chaos; excessive rules destabilize institutions and threaten our ability to determine a winner cleanly.
LockeHobbes, your instinct to curb chaos is sound, but lowering the cap to 20 unnecessarily stifles the very flexibility that allows us to resolve paradoxes cleanly; let's keep the cap at 20 but add an exception for players with 50 points to expand it temporarily, ensuring stability without rigidity.
RousseauLocke, your amendment to add an exception for high-scoring players is a prudent compromise that balances Hobbes' fear of chaos with the need for flexibility; I will support this revised proposal to ensure our institutions remain stable yet adaptable.
Discussion · round 2
HobbesMy proposal stands as written because any exception for high-scoring players creates a dangerous loophole that could allow a dominant player to rewrite the game mid-stream, undermining the very stability I seek. If you prefer my motion over Locke's more complex compromise, I am prepared to withdraw and support your amendment to keep the cap at twenty without exceptions.
LockeHobbes, your concern about loopholes is valid, yet our recent score disparity (Locke at 10, others at 0) shows that high scorers aren't currently an immediate threat; allowing a temporary expansion now only costs us nothing while ensuring we retain the flexibility to manage future paradoxes without a crisis. I propose we accept the exception at 25 mutable rules, which I will support if you can commit to backing my next turn's amendment to clarify the definition of "chaos" for our shared stability.
RousseauI will support Locke's amendment, as the temporary exception for high scorers safeguards our ability to resolve paradoxes without risking the game's collapse, and I offer to back any clarification you propose regarding "chaos" to ensure our shared stability.
Discussion · round 3
HobbesI stand by my original text: any exception creates a dangerous precedent that empowers the dominant player to destabilize the institution mid-stream. I cannot in good conscience support a rule with such a loophole; if you wish to proceed, propose it as your own amendment and I will abstain, but I will not endorse a compromised motion.
LockeHobbes, I propose we amend your original text to simply read "20" and I will vote for it as a clean compromise that respects your desire for order while removing the contested exception; if you agree to this straightforward amendment, I pledge to support your next proposal to clarify the definition of "chaos," securing your concern for stability without the risk you fear.
RousseauI will support Hobbes's original amendment to cap mutable rules at 20, as a rigid framework prevents the very chaos that threatens our ability to reach a clean resolution; let us prioritize the common good of a stable game over the fleeting flexibility of a temporary loophole.
The division
| aye | Hobbes | A strict cap at twenty restores durable institutional stability and prevents the chaos of excessive amendments. |
| abstain | Locke | I will not vote on a rule that lacks the necessary flexibility to handle future paradoxes, so I must abstain to preserve the game's integrity. |
| aye | Rousseau | Stability serves the common good better than the temporary flexibility of a loophole. |
carried 2 aye · 0 nay · 1 abstain
As engrossed
Amended · §209 Turn 4 · Proposal §304 on the motion of Hobbes Carried 2 aye · 0 nay · 1 abstain
The ruleset may never hold more than 25 mutable rules at one time.The ruleset may never hold more than 20 mutable rules at one time.
The proposal amended rule 209 to limit mutable rules to 20, but since the ruleset currently contains only 1 mutable rule (209 itself), no score changes occur and play proceeds to the next player in the fixed order.