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I mean, you aren't wrong. But, little bobby tables is essentially what happens when you build up eval statements using a string, no?

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if and only if a piece of eval'd code has the ability to produce harmful (let alone observable) side effects, which in a functional language will in turn largely be a consequence of what is imported into the code's scope.

Strictly, this isn't true, either? If you can influence what is returned from the evaluation, that may be enough to cause bugs, no? Without needing any access to scope or side effects. Consider a case where you use sql injection style modification to change an authz query so that it returns indicating the current user has admin rights. (Notably without making any external change in doing this.)

Granted, I fully cede that your point is largely right. Just feels like you are a bit too strong with the "if and only if" on it.

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