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David Souter Biography

Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

David Souter, a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, was born on September 17, 1939. He is highly respected in the legal community for his strict judicial style and profound legal knowledge.

Political Process Impossible Impossibility Partisanship Undesirable

Author:David Souter

“The first lesson, simple as it is, is that whatever court we're in, whatever we are doing, at the end of our task some human being is going to be affected. Some human life is going to be changed by what we do. And so we had better use every power of our minds and our hearts and our beings to get those rulings right.”

Mind Firsts Humans Heart Ends Use Life Is Human Beings Simple Changed Lessons Tasks Court Human Life Affected Ruling

Author:David Souter

“The concept of the "information society" is both vague and all-embracing. Different participants meant different things by it. In practice, though, World Summit on the Information Society only dealt with a small number of issues: ICTs and human rights (to some extent), ICTs and development (to some extent), infrastructure finance and Internet governance. Very large aspects of what might have been included in the "information society" were not really discussed.”

“Summits [World Summit on the Information Society] are meant to help governments reach a global consensus on major issues which has proved elusive in established fora. They do so through the embarrassment associated with failing to sign a summit's final agreement.”

World Helping Government Issues Failing Information Majors Finals Agreement Consensus Summit Embarrassment Elusive Information Society

Author:David Souter

“Summits are best at dealing with problems, where the need for action is urgent and the range of possible actions limited. They are less good at dealing with opportunities.”

Needs Problem Action Opportunity Range Urgent Summit Dealing With Problems

Author:David Souter

“Kofi Annan described World Summit on the Information Society as the first summit to deal primarily with an opportunity. The range of issues and potential opportunities that might be included in the Information Society is enormous. Compromise texts are very poor at addressing these in any meaningful way, and many governments see little point in trying.”

World Way Trying Firsts Littles Government Might Opportunity Poor Deals Issues Information Meaningful Enormous Compromise Range Summit Information Society

Author:David Souter

“I don't think that developing countries gained from a two-stage process. A single phase summit (which is, after all, a two year process, not a three day event) would have built awareness, and would probably have led to more substantive conclusions at the end of the first summit meeting. Civil society may have gained a bit more from the networking experience, but it was less effective at networking in the second phase.”

Thinking Years Firsts May Two Ends Country Three Bits Process Stage Awareness Events Built Meetings Conclusion Developing Two Years Phases Summit Networking Civil Society Developing Countries

Author:David Souter

“The main drawback, of course, was cost. Participating effectively in World Summit on the Information Society was very expensive for both developing countries and (especially) civil society.”

World Country Courses Information Cost Developing Expensive Summit Participating Civil Society Developing Countries Drawbacks Information Society

Author:David Souter

“It does seem to me, though, that the countries that gained most from World Summit on the Information Society are those that saw it as an opportunity to engage in more diverse discussion about the issues internally and to seek to raise the quality of debate (both in terms of information and understanding).”

World Doe Country Seems Opportunity Understanding Term Quality Issues Saws Information Raises Debate Discussion Diverse Summit Information Society

Author:David Souter

“It is much easier to modify an opinion if one has not already persuasively declared it.”

Ifs Political Politics Opinion Easier

Author:David Souter

About the Author

Born: September 17, 1939
Known for: Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Quotes: 10

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