Re: spoon-discuss: The Agent Joel Uckelman is not a Player.

[Jeff N Schroeder <jschrodr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Quoth "Kieron Jarvis":
>> NB: This is still not being sent as an RFJ because I'd like to avoid 
having
>> to restart the game due to paradox. C'mon Joel, make yourself a Player
>> before the paradox becomes worse.
>> 
>> I would state:
>> The Agent Joel Uckelman is not a Player.
>> 
>> My reasons for this statement are as follows:
>> 
>> The Agent Joel Uckelman has sent no posts to the business list stating a
>> desire to become a Player.
>> 
>> 
>> Rule 106:
>> "A Player is an Agent who...has become a Player in the manner 
proscribed in > the Rules."
>> 
>> makes it clear that an Agent may only become a Player as proscribed in the
>> Rules. The only rules that allow an Agent to become a player are these 
two. > 
>> Rule 209:
>> "During the first nweek of play, any Agent otherwise qualified as a Player
>> may become one by publicly declaring eir desire to be so."
>> 
>> Rule 210:
>> "Any Agent otherwise qualified as a Player may become one if a Motion 
to Add > naming em is adopted..."
>> 
>> 
>> The Agent Joel Uckelman has fulfilled neither of these requirements.
>>
>> I expect that e would argue from
>> 
>> Rule 208:
>> "...The Player whose real name is Joel Uckelman is the Administrator..."
>> 
>> I would argue that the explicit requirements of becoming a Player would
>> override the implicit assumption of R208 that e is a Player.
>> 
>> Again, I remind you that I will drop the matter if he just sends a post to
>> explicitly request becoming a Player.
>> 
>> Yours Sincerely,
>> 
>> XnJester
>> 
>
>There is nothing inconsistent with starting the game as a Player. To do so 
>_assumes_ that I am a Player. That's what an initial condition is--an 
>assumption that something is true of the game state at time 0. By R106 and 
>the assumption of my Playerhood, it follows by definition that I consent 
>and have "become a Player in the manner proscribed in the Rules". If you 
>reject one of the initial conditions, viz. that I started as a Player, then 
>we're just not playing the same game.

I would say that when the game starts there are zero (0) Players in the 
game and they are all added in the manner stated in the rules.  I would 
not make the assumption that since you started the game, you are by 
default a Player.

I would also state that by the wording of Rule 106, "A Player is an 
Agent who...has become a Player in the manner proscribed in the Rules," 
that the Agent must, through some action (other than assumption, and 
perhaps even other than a Rule with higher numerical value (are lower 
numerical Rules having precedence over higher ones in this game?)), actively 
BECOME a Player from something other than a Player (Agent).


>Besides, even if you're right, the solution isn't as easy as declaring 
>myself a Player, because if I'm not a Player I'm not the Admin, and if I'm 
>not the Admin I couldn't have created the business list as a public forum, 
>so *no* legal actions could yet have been taken, or will ever be possible, 
>since there is no way to become Admin.

That is the point of the game!  Confusion raineth supreme!

jeff