[Telaneo]

> The letter of the law and the spirit of the law are two ways of interpreting rules or laws. To obey the "letter of the law" is to follow the literal reading of the words of the law, whereas following the "spirit of the law" is to follow the intention of why the law was enacted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_and_spirit_of_the_law

[sandworm101]

It is always a good sign of modernity and relevance when the half an article's citations are to either the bible or the Talmude. And who can forget the legal touchstone that was the 1975 Systems Engineering Conference ... in Vegas.

[Telaneo]

The only relevant part there was the definition, which I quoted to you. If you prefer a different one, have this one.

> the spirit of the law - noun phrase

> the aim or purpose of a law when it was written

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20spirit%20of...