The supreme framework governing all other laws and governance systems
Definition
Meta-LAW (or MetaLAW without the hyphen) is the overarching law of laws—a meta-governance construct that defines how all legal, regulatory, and governance systems are created, structured, maintained, and validated.
It is not a single statute or domain law—it is the structural charter that governs governance itself, ensuring that all laws (Nomos, Nomoslaw, Orthonomoslaw, etc.) are:
- Rooted in Orthos (correctness)
- Expressed through Logos (meaning)
- Governed by Nomos (order and distribution)
- Subject to recursive verification
1. Etymology
- Meta- — from Greek μετά (“beyond, above, about, transcending”), indicating a higher-order or self-referential scope.
- Law — Old English lagu (“rule, regulation, decree”), from Old Norse lag (“layer, fixed arrangement”).
Literally: “The law above the law” or “The governance of governance.”
2. Core Functions of Meta-LAW
- Law Creation Protocols — Defining how any new law is proposed, debated, codified, and ratified.
- Law Hierarchy Management — Establishing the precedence of laws across domains and jurisdictions.
- Law Compliance Verification — Ensuring all subordinate laws meet Orthos, Logos, and Nomos standards.
- Law Evolution & Deletion — Providing protocols for lawful amendment or removal of obsolete laws.
- Law Interoperability — Enabling seamless cross-domain governance between Nomos branches.
3. Position in the Codex Hierarchy
[ Orthos (correctness) ]
↓
[ Logos (meaning) ]
↓
[ Nomos (law/governance principle) ]
↓
[ Nomoslaw (domain law governance) ]
↓
[ Meta-LAW / MetaLAW (governance of governance) ]
↓
[ -nomoslaw entities: Orthonomoslaw, Logonomoslaw, Cognomoslaw, Elemenomoslaw, etc. ]
Meta-LAW sits above Nomoslaw in hierarchy, functioning as a supreme constitutional framework that ensures all governance systems remain aligned to core principles.
4. Relationship with Nomoslaw
| Term | Scope |
|---|---|
| Nomoslaw | The unifying law framework binding all domain laws. |
| MetaLAW | The meta-governance framework that defines how Nomoslaw and its domains are created, updated, and validated. |
5. Domains Governed Under Meta-LAW
- Orthonomoslaw — Correctness law
- Logonomoslaw — Language law
- Cognomoslaw — Knowledge governance law
- Elemenomoslaw — Elemental stewardship law
- Ethonomoslaw — Ethical governance law
- Technomoslaw — Technology governance law
- Physinomoslaw — Natural systems law
All of these are bound to Meta-LAW as their originating and validating authority.
6. Synonyms & Related Concepts
- Synonyms: meta-governance code, law of laws, constitutional meta-framework.
- Related: Nomos, Nomoslaw, Orthos, Logos, Codex Constitution, Governance Charter.
7. Example Sentence Usage
- “MetaLAW ensures that all domain-specific laws remain consistent with the Codex’s supreme principles.”
- “Even Nomoslaw must submit to MetaLAW’s protocols for validation.”
- “MetaLAW is the recursive safeguard that prevents governance drift.”