---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Law is error, you see. It's an attempt to…"
description: "\"Law is error, you see. It's an attempt to write down a lot of things everyone ought to know anyway.\" — Nick Harkaway"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/nick-harkaway-4221_attempt_law-is-error-you-see-it-s-an-attempt-to_839742.png"
---

#  Law is error, you see. It's an attempt to write down a lot…

![“Law is error, you see. It's an attempt to write down a lot of things everyone ought to know anyway.” quote by Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/nick-harkaway-4221_attempt_law-is-error-you-see-it-s-an-attempt-to_839742.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/nick-harkaway-4221_attempt_law-is-error-you-see-it-s-an-attempt-to_839742.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/nick-harkaway-4221_attempt_law-is-error-you-see-it-s-an-attempt-to_839742.png)

> “Law is error, you see. It's an attempt to write down a lot of things everyone ought to know anyway.”

[Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Law attempts to codify common sense, but it merely records what people already know.

**In simple terms:** Law repeats what we already understand.

Key Takeaway

Question the necessity of redundant rules.

Themes

law knowledge society redundancy

Mood

analytical critical

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- policy drafting
- education reform
- public debates

Key Concepts

legal theory cognitive psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What laws truly add value?
- When does codification become counterproductive?

A Different Perspective

Legal systems may still be essential for consistency despite redundancy.

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[Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

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