4title: Beliefs and principles
5author: Galen Wolfe-Pauly + Curtis Yarvin
6image: http://media.urbit.org/site/blog-2.jpg
20We believe that general-purpose computing is an essential tool to
21unlock the power of individual creativity.
23We believe that ownership, privacy and control don't need to be
24sacrificed in exchange for usability, accessibility and reliability.
26We believe in the power of the informed crowd to develop and maintain
27software, through the IETF principles of sincerity and rough consensus.
28The ability of the engineering community to govern itself through
29republican forms is not an abstract theory; it's a proven fact.
31We believe in both free speech and individual accountability. We
32believe that a healthy network is one with diverse and well-defined
33communities, and clear, user-controlled, boundaries between public and
36We believe that no software system can replace human trust and
37communication. Dialogue, judgment and governance are essential to
38communities of all scales. Code and law can reduce conflict in the
39common case; they can never handle all exceptions.
43Here are some principles of Urbit. Where principles conflict,
44the first stated takes precedence.
46### Digital independence
48Digital independence is independent control of your own
49general-purpose computer which holds your own primary data.
50Urbit's ultimate purpose is to make practical digital
51independence a useful and widely available product.
55Wherever possible, the rules of Urbit must be executable as code.
56Wherever possible, code must be self-enforcing. If not, it must
57be perfectly defined. If not, it must not be stated.
59### Sovereignty is conserved
61Even where code is law, exceptional situations demanding
62effective collective action will always arise. There must
63always be a collective authority to solve these problems.
65Two known problems in Urbit that require central authority are
66approval of software updates and activation of the network. But
67there will certainly be others.
69### Purpose of collective authority
71Urbit, as opposed to the Tlon corporation, is a republic. Its
72government has one task: promoting, preserving and protecting Urbit.
73It may take any legal action which advances this goal. Any other
74actions are *ultra vires*, out of scope. Urbit is not a
75general-purpose charity.
77### Decentralized control
79Urbit should never fall under any kind of central control. All
80transitions in galaxy ownership should divide positions, not
83Galaxy and star ownership should also be separated. It is
84harmful for a single entity to hold both galaxies and stars.
86### Property is contingent
88Property rights are contingent and accidental, not moral or
89meritorious. A property register does not record why an owner
90deserves some property. Ownership is neither a reward nor a
93### Governance is by stake
95Ultimately, Urbit must be governed by those who own it. In each
96tier, equal stakes must hold equal authority.
100Urbit does not admit a tradeoff between anarchy and tyranny,
101order and liberty. Urbit has zero tolerance for abuse, nor does
102it facilitate censorship.
104Urbit will do everything possible to help you block content you
105don't want to see. It does nothing to help you block content you
106don't want others to see.
108### Trolling considered harmful
110If you post content on Urbit which may offend or disturb any
111significant group of users, it is your responsibility to mark it
112properly for automatic blocking.
114### Sockpuppets considered harmful
116The only legitimate reason for one individual to use multiple
117identities is to maintain multiple active pseudonyms. But
118multiple identities must never interact in the same context.
122Urbit is not a darknet. It does not break real-world laws. It
123is not designed to facilitate the breaking of real-world laws.
124For any problem that lawbreakers have, there must always be a
125better solution that is not Urbit.
127### Responsibility to route
129As long as they are not facilitating violations of any of these
130principles, or laws in their own jurisdictions, stars and
131galaxies are responsible for routing their children. They are
132also collectively responsible for escape-routing the children of
133stars and galaxies which fail in their responsibility.
138 Subscribe to our newsletter: <email dataPath="/submit" submit="Get updates" />
keysesc to close
- j k
- move down, up
- enter
- open
- esc
- back, or up a level
- 1 2 3 4
- readme, files, commits, refs
- /
- filter
- y
- copy the clone command
- c
- compare the chosen commit with another (or shift-click both)
- ?
- show or hide this list