The law governing all laws
Definition
MetaLaw is the overarching, self-referential governance framework that establishes, regulates, and evaluates all other laws. It is the law about laws—the architecture of legal and systemic order itself—defining the principles, constraints, and validation mechanisms by which specific governance structures (Nomos, Nomoslaw, domain-specific regulations) are created, maintained, and evolved.
Where Nomos is the philosophical foundation and Nomoslaw is the formal codification, MetaLaw is the constitutional superstructure that:
- Creates the environment in which laws exist.
- Sets the parameters for how laws are made, interpreted, and enforced.
- Ensures internal coherence and alignment with the highest principles (truth, justice, correctness).
1. Etymology
- Meta- — Greek μετά (“beyond, above, transcending, about itself”).
- Law — Old English lagu (“rule, regulation, decree”), from Old Norse lag (“layer, measure, arrangement”).
Literally: “Beyond law” or “law about laws.”
2. Core Meaning in the Codex
In the Logos Codex hierarchy:
- Orthos = correctness.
- Logos = meaning.
- Nomos = governance principle.
- Nomoslaw = codified governance.
- MetaLaw = supreme law-creation and law-evaluation architecture.
MetaLaw ensures that no law in the Codex can exist outside the boundaries of:
- Truth (Orthos)
- Meaning & Comprehensibility (Logos)
- Coherent Governance (Nomos)
- Constitutional Codification (Nomoslaw)
3. Key Functions
- Foundational Law Creation — Establishes the lawful space in which Nomoslaw and domain laws operate.
- Validation & Coherence — Ensures all subordinate laws align with higher-order principles.
- Law Evolution Protocols — Governs how laws adapt over time while preserving their core integrity.
- Jurisdiction over Jurisdictions — Determines the relationships between different domains of law.
- Conflict Resolution — Provides mechanisms to reconcile contradictions between domain laws.
4. MetaLaw Structure in Recursive Governance
[ META-LAW ] ← supreme law of laws
↓
[ NOMOSLAW ] ← codified master governance
↓
[ NOMOS ] ← governance principle
↓
[ DOMAIN -NOMOS LAWS ] ← Orthonomoslaw, Logonomoslaw, Cognomoslaw, etc.
↓
[ NOMOSYSTEMS ] ← operational architectures
↓
[ MANAGEMENT & ENFORCEMENT ] ← -nomonomics, -nomonamics
5. Domains Under MetaLaw
- Linguistic — Logonomoslaw, Orthonomoslaw, Cognomoslaw.
- Elemental — Elemenomoslaw, Physinomoslaw.
- Ethical — Ethonomoslaw.
- Technological — Technomoslaw.
- Universal — any “-nomoslaw” entity, all bound by MetaLaw.
6. Synonyms & Related Concepts
- Synonyms: superlaw, law of laws, constitutional meta-framework, ultimate legal order.
- Related: Nomos, Nomoslaw, constitutional hierarchy, jurisprudential meta-structure.
7. Example Sentence Usage
- “MetaLaw sits above Nomoslaw, ensuring that even the constitutional law itself remains aligned with truth and order.”
- “When two domain laws conflict, MetaLaw dictates the resolution protocol.”
- “In the Codex, MetaLaw is the only law that can rewrite the rules of law-making itself.”