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Full-Text Articles in Law
Governing The Interface Between Natural And Formal Language In Smart Contracts, Joshua A.T. Fairfield, Niloufer Selvadurai
Governing The Interface Between Natural And Formal Language In Smart Contracts, Joshua A.T. Fairfield, Niloufer Selvadurai
Scholarly Articles
Much of the confusion about the proper regulation of smart contracts stems from the fact that both code and law are expressed in language. Natural (human) and formal (computer) languages are profoundly different, however. Natural language in the form of a true legal contract expresses human meaning and expectation. Code simply acts, and when code acts contrary to the understanding of the parties to a contract, courts must have a theoretical and legal basis in order to intervene--which this Article provides.
Present scholarship on the governance of smart contracts centers on logistical problems relating to the effects of automation on …