Fewer Rules, Better People

The Case for Discretion

Barry Lam (University of California, Riverside)

$39.95

Hardback

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English

WW Norton & Co
14 April 2025

Ethics & moral philosophy; Social & political philosophy

Series: A Norton Short

Wherever there's a rule, there is someone with the power to apply or ignore it-or add to it, in the interest of justice. From enforcing chores to issuing life sentences, decision-makers deliver flawed and sometimes arbitrary outcomes. But is their use of discretion good or bad overall? As a society, should we seek to minimize or maximize discretion, with all its potential for bias and other kinds of human error?

Reframing our understanding of justice and ethics, philosopher Barry Lam argues that while use of discretion-whether by a sports referee, a parent, a police officer, or a judge-can never be perfect, removing it has even more problematic effects. Mandatory arrests and sentencing laws have not eliminated bias, but have corrupted the courtroom, institutionalized lying, and brought about even more unjust and arbitrary results. Fewer Rules, Better People is a bold, riveting treatise that sheds new light on political debates about law and justice while aiming to prepare us for the imminent threat of more ""perfect,"" discretion-less rule enforcement by AI.

By: Barry Lam (University of California Riverside)
Imprint: WW Norton & Co
Country of Publication: United States
Volume: 0
Dimensions: Height: 218mm, Width: 147mm, Spine: 18mm
Weight: 316g
ISBN: 9781324051244
ISBN 10: 1324051248
Series: A Norton Short
Pages: 176
Publication Date: 14 April 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Barry Lam is professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside, and the host and producer of the Hi–Phi Nation podcast for Slate, a show about the moral and philosophical issues implicated in science, law, and everyday life.

Reviews for Fewer Rules, Better People: The Case for Discretion

""Barry Lam’s case for the importance of discretion is a breath of fresh air in an increasingly bureaucratic world. When there is no room for qualified people of good will to recognize exceptions to the rules, we de-humanize ourselves. Lam’s book encourages us to find a way to preserve our humanity in the face of bureaucracy and technology."" -- Sean D. Kelly, Dean of Arts of Humanities at Harvard University and co-author of All Things Shining ""…a slim, thoughtful book, Barry Lam… has a point: well-intentioned rule-making can inadvertently strangle productivity and occlude moral judgment… as enjoyable and irritating as a university philosophy seminar."" -- The Economist ""The suggestion that more rules makes life less fair is a little perverse, but in this punchy treatise, Lam makes the case elegantly."" -- Mischa Frankl-Duval - Financial Times