A Matter of Interpretation

“The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.”

- National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958[i]

“We interpret the right to use space for peaceful purposes to include military uses of space to promote peace in the world.”

- Defense Department Official 1983[ii]

I'm writing a paper on rhetoric and law. Mainly, I am suggesting that studying rhetoric (ancient and modern) is a good idea for lawyers for two reasons. First, it will make them better advocates. Second, it will make the legal system better, which has obvious ramifications for our society. I also think it offers a way out for legal theorists on the left, many of whom have adopted versions of law and economics to conceptualize and teach law after the apparent demise of critical legal studies and legal realism.

In any case, the above juxtaposition comes from a really fascinating book by literary critic Steven Mailloux called Rhetorical Power. I couldn't figure out a way to use it in my current paper, so I thought, shit, I'll just post it on the blog.

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[i] National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, 42 USCS § 2451(a) (LEXIS through 10/13/2006 ).

[ii] Robert Cooper, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (as quoted in Frank Greve, Pentagon Research Retains Vision of 'Winning' N-war, Miami Herald, March 27, 1983, § D, at 4).