In the face of a seeming digital takeover of the universe, the noted author/commentator on society and social change, Malcolm Gladwell, recently said amid laughter (but also concern) from his audience that he would advise young people to plan for a career in dentistry. It would, after all, be hard indeed to totally replace dentists with computer software programs.

One supposes that criminal lawyers are often dentist-like in their professional undertakings— trying to “extract” truth from clients, witnesses and even prosecutors. Are we, however, immune from substitution by designated hitters who can hit the ball out of the park digitally?