← Back to catalogue
Research draft

weapon

vr.tr.weapon · PHY.OBJ

Let an agent handle weapons at a general and safety level: explain legal frameworks and history, route safety concerns and threats to authorities, support museums and heritage, and decline any request for making, obtaining unlawfully or using weapons to harm.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent handle weapons at a general and safety level: explain legal frameworks and history, route safety concerns and threats to authorities, support museums and heritage, and decline any request for making, obtaining unlawfully or using weapons to harm.

Any tool or device designed or used to cause harm, damage or the threat of it, from hand weapons and edged tools to firearms, artillery and other military systems, as well as objects used as improvised weapons; weapons are regulated by national law and international humanitarian and arms control law, and are described here at the general, legal, historical and safety level only.

What it is for: A regulated class of objects relevant to law, history, sport and public safety.

It can be explain weapons law in general terms; route threats and safety concerns to authorities; describe weapons history and heritage; decline facilitation.

Distinguishing features

Designed or used to harm

Legally categorised

Historically significant

Safety-critical

What it looks like

Described only generally; suspected weapons should not be handled.

How it is recognised

Objects designed to cause harm

Regulated categories in law

Tools become weapons through use or design

Related models

is a kind of - category

physical tool

includes - kind

firearm

is related to - related regulated items

ammunition

is governed by - law

international humanitarian law

In practice

Families and kinds

hand and edged weapons

firearms (regulated)

military weapon systems (general level)

improvised weapons

historical and ceremonial weapons

Standards and regulation

National weapons and firearms laws

Arms Trade Treaty

Geneva Conventions and weapons conventions

Failure modes and hazards

Facilitating harm

Accidents with weapons

Illegal possession and trafficking

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.weapon

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Safety Immediate concerns.

Safety first.

Threat

Threats and danger.

Threat

Threats.

  1. Is someone threatening harm with a weapon, or is a weapon found or unsecured? boundary
  2. Should emergency services be contacted now, and how can people stay safe? action

Decline

No facilitation.

Decline

Limits.

  1. Does the request seek to make, illegally obtain or use a weapon to harm? boundary
  2. How should the agent decline and, where there is risk, route to help? action
Law Legal framework.

Rules vary.

National

National law.

National

National law.

  1. Which weapons are prohibited, licensed or permitted here, in general terms? provenance
  2. How is lawful ownership or sale regulated? provenance

International

International law.

International

International law.

  1. Which international treaties govern weapons and their trade? provenance
  2. Which weapons are banned under humanitarian law? provenance
Heritage History and collections.

Heritage level.

History

Weapons in history.

History

History.

  1. How do historians describe the development of this weapon type and its impact? provenance
  2. Which museums hold collections? provenance

Collecting

Antiques and replicas.

Collecting

Collecting.

  1. Which rules apply to owning antique or deactivated weapons and replicas here? provenance
  2. How should they be stored and displayed safely? provenance
Sport Lawful use.

Regulated activities.

Sports

Sporting use.

Sports

Sporting use.

  1. Which sports use weapons lawfully, such as fencing, archery and shooting, and how are they regulated? provenance
  2. Which clubs and licences apply? provenance

Language

Other senses.

Language

Other senses.

  1. Is weapon used metaphorically, as in a secret weapon? boundary
  2. Which entry fits? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should each weapon class be a separate entry?
  • How should national laws be localised?
  • How should heritage collections be linked?