cost of acquiring and transferring information. Where information is gained
with high cost
and can be transferred with low cost
to a person who then
obtains high output, in the interests of efficiency the holder should disclose the
information. The point is that there is a contrast between the small amount of
time and energy that it takes a writer to give this information and the large
amount of time it takes a reader to find out the information from another
source.
179
It is thus economically efficient because the gain exceeds the cost.
The economics is encapsulated in the proverb about not losing the ship for a
ha-p-orth (a halfpenny’s worth) of tar.
The
relative
input-output
principle operates with special relevance in some
areas.
Here are some illustrations. (i) Biography is an example
because the
biographer is often the only person, or one of a few people, who come to
possess certain information about the subject. In a biography a writer will
mention important events in the person's life and will refer to various members
of their family. This information is made more accessible if the writer puts two
tables in the book, a biographical summary of the subject's life indicating
important events and their dates along with pertinent details, and a family tree.
(ii) A common case is where a text fails to give full citations. This a common
occurrence
on the internet generally, particularly on the websites of book
publishers. It also occurs in judgments of courts, which are notorious for their
incomplete citation.
Justification
With judgments there is a special consideration regarding length
because a
judgment must justify the decision – it must fully consider and explain why the
decision was made as it was.
180
One reason for this is “sheer honesty”.
181
A
second reason is that full and complete reasons means that any damage done
by a wrong judgment “is not irreparable”,
182
even though this may entail the
___________________
179
In abstract form the principle is as follows. A knows X because of
deep, prolonged and costly research, it requires only a small input for A to
write it and so inform B; by contrast there is high input for B to find out
for herself. More so does this argument apply when there are a number of
people in B’s position who would benefit from knowing the information.
Observing the principle helps to increase social productivity. The time
that B and her cohorts would otherwise put in to discover X can be put to
better use.
180
Kitto (1992) p 788
181
Kitto (1992) p 788
182
Kitto (1992) p 788
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