Blowing the curve

A couple moments from the classroom:

In Torts the other day, we were given a hypothetical: "Jose Canseco has extraordinarily quick reflexes. He is driving down the highway in his candy red Jaguar when he sees a hitchhiker lying unconscious from heatstroke on the road. While an average person probably could not stop in time to avoid hitting the hitchhiker, Canseco's short reaction time makes it likely that he could. Unfortunately, however, Canseco does not brake soon enough and hits the hitchhiker, Herbie Homeless. Homeless sues Canseco for his injuries, arguing that the jury should be able to consider Canseco's unusually fast reflexes in deciding whether he was negligent."

In his response to a follow-up question regarding different treatment for drivers with impairments (such as epilepsy), a student said, "There are literally rules at the DMV that you have to be under a doctor's care and check in every so often." I'm paraphrasing that last part.

Today in International Human Rights, during a debate about whether the US should ratify the ICESCR, a student said, "You literally can't create a society that recognizes the right to work and [other economic rights] without imposing some kind of structure." Paraphrasing again.