This week Kate Sills joins us to respond to several recent articles criticizing smart contracts. One of the issues we cover is the “Oracle problem,” which is how a self-enforcing digital contract can know whether terms have been met in the physical world. Also, we discusses how smart contracts cannot be mere transactional documents but also need to facilitate relationships, something that has led traditional contract law to purposefully include ambiguous or unenforceable clauses. Finally, we talk about Alex Tabbarok’s call for a dedicated arbitration system for smart contract disputes. Disclaimer: While squirrel mortality is referenced briefly during the episode, no members of the Sciuridae family were harmed in the making of this show.

Kate Sill’s case for smart contracts.

Jimmy Song on the Oracle problem.

Alex Tabbarok calls for a smart contract arbitration system.

(Deep Cut) Karen Levy reminds us that contracts are relational documents.

Listen to Kate Sills discuss smart contracts and the blockchain on Free Thoughts.

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