Introduction
It is almost a platitude to say that we live in a highly dynamic world. The introduction of.
new information and communication technologies and biotechnology and the globalization
of our economies ate just two of the many factors that lead to rapid changes in our
modern societies. Of course, the law tries to keep up with these changes, but often it is
not very successful. Leglsiative processes take much time and new statutes are
sometimes already partly outdated at the moment they enter into force. The judiciary
may try to respond to the changes, but usually has limited possibilities to do so,
especially when the social or technological changes are so fundamental as in the field
of, for example, the Internet.
The rapid changes thus constitute a challenge to law. How can the law keep up with
them? Are statutory changes. and the gradual evolution of case law still adequate to
adapt the law in the books to the reality outside? Or should we perhaps focus on different
processes of legal change?
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