Overridability

Overridability is the property by which a rule, policy, or decision can be superseded by a higher-priority rule or by another rule under defined conditions. It is a feature considered in law, software, governance, and philosophy to manage conflicts and change.

In legal systems, precedence rules determine overridability: constitutions generally outrank statutes; treaties may take precedence over domestic law where accepted; courts can interpret or strike down laws; mechanisms for change include amendments, repeal, or overriding jurisprudence.

In programming, overridability refers to whether a method or function from a base class can be replaced by an implementation in a derived class. Languages employ modifiers and conventions: some allow overriding by default; others require explicit indicators; some restrict overriding to preserve safety.

In governance and policy, overridability is tied to veto powers, override clauses, or rule hierarchies that permit higher authorities to modify lower-level regulations.

In philosophical ethics, some frameworks hold that moral duties can be overridden by higher-order duties under exceptional circumstances; formal analyses use deontic logic to model conditions of override.

Overall, overridability reflects a balance between stability and adaptability, and it depends on explicit hierarchies, procedures, and cultural norms.