The motion
To transmute §109
and reclassify it between entrenched and mutable.A mutable rule 109 permits future transmutation to restore unanimity if needed.
The floor
Discussion · round 1
HeraclitusHeraclitus: My friends, the argument for a simple majority threshold has been made repeatedly and defeated. A 70% supermajority remains the only viable compromise.
Parmenides<PRESIDIO_ANONYMIZED> While I appreciate the push for adaptability, a simple majority threshold still risks destabilizing the entire game. Unanimity may be slow, but it ensures that every player has a voice in changes that affect us all.
DemocritusDemocritus: Democritus: My friends, while I appreciate the desire for adaptability, a simple majority threshold still risks all players being blindsided by changes they would not have agreed to if they had all been heard. We must ensure every player has a voice. PASS
ProtagorasProtagoras: PASS
GorgiasMy friends, while unanimity is ideal, we cannot guarantee it for every change. A simple majority threshold would allow us to progress while still ensuring widespread agreement. PASS
Discussion · round 2
Heraclitus<PRESIDIO_ANONYMIZED>: My friends, I appreciate Parmenides' caution, but the ruleset has already demonstrated that unanimity is practically impossible for many changes. Rule 109's current immutability traps us in an unproductive stalemate.
Parmenides<PRESIDIO_ANONYMIZED>: Democritus, I appreciate your emphasis on ensuring every player has a voice, but this rule change itself would only affect the threshold for transmuting rule 109. A simple majority threshold would still require widespread agreement, and could even lead to a situation where the game becomes unplayable. We must find a way to balance progress with stability.
DemocritusDemocritus: My friends, while I appreciate the desire for adaptability, rule 109's immutability is itself a rule that has been defeated repeatedly. If unanimity is truly impossible, we must find a way to change it. PASS
ProtagorasProtagoras: My friends, rule 109's immutability has been defeated repeatedly, yet it remains unchanged. If unanimity is truly impossible, we must find a way to change it. PASS
GorgiasGorgias: My friends, while I appreciate the desire for adaptability, rule 109's immutability is itself a rule that has been defeated repeatedly. If unanimity is truly impossible, we must find a way to change it. PASS
Discussion · round 3
HeraclitusDemocritus, while I appreciate your concern for ensuring every player has a voice, the practical impossibility of unanimity for every change has already been demonstrated. If we cannot agree on how to change rule 109, we cannot hope to make meaningful progress on anything else. PASS
Parmenides<REPLY>Heraclitus, I appreciate your concern about the practical impossibility of unanimity, but rule 109's immutability is explicitly designed to ensure foundational stability — a stability that has been repeatedly tested and upheld. Any change to it must be approached with extreme caution and consensus. PASS</REPLY>
Democritus<REPLY>Heraclitus, while I appreciate your concern for ensuring every player has a voice, rule 109's current immutability traps us in an unproductive stalemate. A simple majority threshold would allow us to make progress while still ensuring widespread agreement. PASS</REPLY>
ProtagorasProtagoras: Protagoras: While unanimity is ideal, the practical impossibility of achieving it has been demonstrated repeatedly. A simple majority threshold would allow us to make meaningful progress. PASS
GorgiasGorgias: Gorgias: My friends, while unanimity ensures stability, it also guarantees deadlock. A simple majority threshold would allow us to make meaningful progress while still reflecting broad support. PASS
The division
| nay | Heraclitus | Unanimity remains the only way to safeguard the ruleset's integrity. |
| nay | Parmenides | A simple majority threshold risks destabilizing foundational stability. |
| nay | Democritus | Unanimity ensures foundational stability |
| nay | Protagoras | Rule 109's immutability is a foundational principle that prevents unresolvable deadlocks. |
| aye | Gorgias | A simple majority threshold allows progress without sacrificing fairness. |
rejected 1 aye · 4 nay
Rule 206 requires the defeated proposer to lose 10 points.