Lunch seminar with Mohamed Ben Achour
From Paper to Code: Towards a Computational Theory of the Rule of Law
Abstract
This communication connects the theoretical foundations of the Rule of Law with the emerging field of computational modelling. Grounded in Kantian liberalism, 19th-century constitutional thought, and the functional differentiation framework of Niklas Luhmann, it reframes the Rule of Law not as a static ideal but as a dynamic self-regulating system of structurally coupled institutions. The argument is twofold: first, the distinction between law and politics, central to the operational stability of the Rule of Law, can be rigorously expressed in systems-theoretical terms; second, this structure can be translated into an agent-based algorithmic model capable of simulating institutional interactions and monitoring their activity in real time when driven by real legal data. The result is a computational continuation of legal theory: one that retains the formal ambitions of classical jurisprudence, while extending them into an algorithmic environment, opening new possibilities for empirical analysis, real-time statistics, institutional design, and the reinforcement of institutional resilience through computational means.
Speaker bio
Mohamed Ben Achour is a PhD candidate in Public Law at Université Paris-Saclay (Centre de Recherche Léon Duguit).
His research focuses on the computational modelling of the Rule of Law, at the intersection of systems theory, legal theory, and algorithmic design. His dissertation is titled “Differentiating Law and Politics: Contribution to a Computational Theory of the Rule of Law”. He is currently developing Optimus, data-driven legal simulation platform.
Meeting ID: 674 5646 2951
Passcode: 150661