Ftom14cat: Maybe mathman's a jedi... you'd never know, because he may have his concealed jedi permit... gotta keep the criminals guessing!
Seriously though, I think it's possible for someone to use their brain to diffuse most situations before force is ever employed... once force is employed you can use your brain to escape in some situations, but a tool such as a knife or a gun is certainly going to do a lot for your odds... your brain should be your first line of defense though.