Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You take the stand.
You decide this is an opportunity that you just can't pass up. "There are only a handful of musicologists who work regularly as expert witnesses," says Gerald Eskelin. And he feels it truly is "a distinct honor to be one of them."
This trial will put you at the top of your field as an expert witness in musicology. If you help win the case for the defendant, his millions of fans will be pleased. You will become an instant celebrity.
Since these plagiarism cases are coming up more and more often, this will mean lots of money for you.
The trial begins and you are called to the stand by the defense. Everything goes smoothly. You have answered all of the defense lawyer's questions honestly.
You remind yourself that you are under oath, and also that you are hired by the defense. You have to answer your questions carefully.
After a few minutes, the plaintiff's lawyer asks you the question you had feared he would. "As an expert in musicology, would you say this song is more likely to have been written by the plaintiff or the defendant?"
You realize that by answering the truth, you let the defense down. If you lie, the truth may come out later. Any other musicologist willing to take the time could discover this fact.
No matter how hard you might try to explain, you could not possibly explain how you overlooked the facts. You are trapped. You realize that there is too much on the line either way, and you should not have taken the stand.