Barry Goldman is an arbitrator and mediator based in Michigan. He holds an MA in philosophy from the University of Hawaii and a JD from Wayne State University Law School where he has served on the adjunct faculty for many years. Barry is the author of The Science of Settlement: Ideas for negotiators and co-author, with Stuart M. Israel, of Opinions: Essays on lawyering, litigation and arbitration, the placebo effect, chutzpah, and related matters. He is a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators and a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Email: bagman [at] ameritech.net
by Barry Goldman Psychologists tell us we are susceptible to the “just world fallacy.” We think the arc of history bends toward justice. We think people, ultimately, get what they deserve. Historically, this belief led to the practice of trial by combat. God, you see, favors the just. Since that is so, we merely need…
by Barry Goldman This article is the second in a series. The first is here. Justice delayed is justice denied. Everyone agrees. Lawsuits should be brought in a timely manner. If too much time goes by before a case is adjudicated, witnesses become unavailable, memories fade, evidence is lost, and it becomes harder to reconstruct…
by Barry Goldman Back in 1987 Jared Diamond wrote a piece for Discover Magazine titled “The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race.” In it, Diamond argued “the adoption of agriculture, supposedly our most decisive step toward a better life, was in many ways a catastrophe from which we have never recovered.” Hunter…
