“Conflict is a theme that has occupied the thinking of men more than any other, save only God and love.” Anatol Rapoport What is a conflict? Is conflict always undesirable? What is the range of human conflicts? What are the reasons for conflicts? And when conflicts arise, how should one optimally deal with them? These general issues have particular relevance for understanding and mitigating contemporary conflicts The English word “conflict” derives from the Latin word “confligere,” or to “strike together.” For example, because it is physically impossible for two objects, such as billiard balls, to occupy the same place, if one is in motion toward the other and strikes it, then it collides or conflicts with it and displaces it.