[PsychoVision]

If the two parties disagreed on a judge or arbiter, who would get to decide which to use?

[SecretSquirrel]

there is no such thing as a human judge or arbiter.

[PsychoVision]

there is no such thing as a human judge or arbiter.

Why not? Humans judge each other all the time. The Phelps family of Topeka, Kansas thinks that God hates the world. There are racists, homophobes, sexists, all sorts of prejudiced people. Do you mean that there is no perfect human judge?

[SecretSquirrel]

There are only humans who claim to be judges or arbiters. Does that clarify what I posted?

[Cookie Monster]

There are only humans who claim to be judges or arbiters. Does that clarify what I posted?

By that logic, there are no policeman, hunters, farmers, etc.

Being a judge or arbiter is like any other job.

Concerning the original question, that is the problem. You can only agree for alternatives as long as there is a final power that can bring an end to the claim of those disputing. If such power lacks, the alternatives become very uncertain.

[SecretSquirrel]

Being a judge is over a human being's pay grade. An arbiter must have perfect knowledge and judgement and be absolutely incorruptible -- justice hangs in the balance. A human being, on the other hand, can be asked his opinion on a matter only, and cannot be impartial, ever.

A policeman, on the other hand, must only be able to drive around town eating donuts and fucking with people, occasionally stopping real crimes. A hunter is only required to kill and/or trap animals. etc...

[Cookie Monster]

An arbiter must have perfect knowledge and judgement and be absolutely incorruptible -- justice hangs in the balance. A human being, on the other hand, can be asked his opinion on a matter only, and cannot be impartial, ever.

No, perfect knowledge and judgment and being incorruptible are characteristics we expect from a judge and which a judge pursues and is tested for.
What a judge or arbiter most importantly needs is to have the power, either material or social, to enforce his rule.

[DubiousDan]

There are only humans who claim to be judges or arbiters. Does that clarify what I posted?

What is, is. The chaps with the guns make the decisions. Judges and arbiters exist. Whether their existence is valid is another matter.

Authority is part of the definition of arbiter. No matter how voluntary the contract, if compliance is involuntary, then this is authority, thus it is not Anarchism.

A judge on the other hand does not by all definitions have authority. Since I don’t know the definition that the first party used, I can’t assign the definition. Some definitions of judge, assign them authority. In the context of law, a judge has authority and this is not Anarchistic.
However if a party was requested to make a judgment which would have no authority other than the competence of the judge, then this is not incompatible with Anarchism.
Infallibility is not one of the requirements of a judge.


Judge:

From the Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, CD Version 3.0

Main Entry:2judge
Pronunciation:*
Function:noun
Inflected Form:-s
Etymology:Middle English juge, from Middle French, from Latin judic-, judex, judex, judge, from ju- (from jus right, law) + -dic-, -dex (from dicere to determine, say) * more at JUST, DICTION

: one that judges: a (1) : a public official invested with authority to hear and determine litigated questions; especially : the presiding magistrate in a court of justice usually so named in his commission *the judge declares the law, the jury finds the facts— Edward Jenks* *European judges are members of a hierarchically organized bureaucracy— C.J.Friedrich* (2) : a person who performs one or more functions of such an official (as a justice of the peace or referee) or of any judicial officer — sometimes used as an honorific or courtesy title without much significance *American law early T dignified every magistrate by calling him judge— H.S.Commager* b capitalized : GOD, CHRIST *the coming of the Lord is at hand T behold, the Judge is standing at the doors— Jas 5: 8*9 (Revised Standard Version)* c often capitalized : a tribal hero exercising paramount civil and military authority over the Hebrews in the biblical period of more than 400 years following the death of Joshua *the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the power of those who plundered them— Judg 2:16 (Revised Standard Version)* d : one appointed to decide in a contest or competition (as a trial of skill or speed between two or more parties) : UMPIRE *the Judge T must occupy the judges' box at the time the horses pass the winning post— Dan Parker* *on election day the judge helps decide disputes at the polls* e : one that decides or determines any question, point at issue, or controversy : one that gives an authoritative opinion *each house shall be the judge of the T qualifications of its own members— U.S.Constitution* *the board shall be the judge of what constitutes unprofessional conduct— G.B.Cummings* *the best judge of what his book was about— Ellen Glasgow* f : one that has sufficient knowledge or experience to decide on the merits of or to form an authoritative opinion about something (as a question or a work of art) : CONNOISSEUR, CRITIC *was an extraordinary judge of character— C.F.Smith* *a good judge of poetry— John Dryden*

[Northern-Anarchist-X]

Judgement could be pragmatically undertaken through exile - undertaken through community debate and vote (majority, supermajority, consensus, w/e).