Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Another year has gone! The planet spins 365 times and takes us around its star. The star is the Sun, one of 300,000,000,000 stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The planets Sun carries all travel through space as we chase after Deneb, the tail of Cygnus the Swan. We are all on that journey, once around in 250,000,000 years.

Since we came to being out of dust and gas, we have been around the great galactic carousel ride twenty times. Last time we were 'here', one galactic orbit ago, animals crawled out of the womb of the ocean. One quarter orbit back, not so long ago, the dinosaurs where wiped out by a rock only twice the width of Manhattan. And only two orbits back, out of twenty, single celled life got together for the first time to make organisms.

In each of our bodies, there are far more cells than stars in the Milky Way: organized thoughts, abstract reasoning, law, music, mathematics, goals and feelings strung together and passed on space.

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance wishes you a merry Christmas break

Dear all

Snow is falling in London. It is a reminder that the zealous philosophers of the Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance need to start the Christmas break.

As resolved last time, the group will meet again in January. Propositions for the new year abound but everybody is invited to contribute with new ideas. So far the agenda includes reading Heidegger, Dante’s Comedy, the latest finance news, playing the Merchant of Venice in class, and of course, I insist, kicking off with your presentations. Roast chestnuts and think of it.

I shall grab the occasion to wish you a most stimulating, relaxed, warm Christmas break.

See you all in 2010!

Yours,
Laura
l.niada@my.westminster.ac.uk

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance wishes you a merry Christmas break

3rd PhD Seminar on Law & Finance

Dear All,

The 3^rd PhD Seminar on Law & Finance will be held on December 17^th, at 12.00, in Room 508 at 4 Little Titchfield Street, University of Westminster, School of Law, Department of Advanced Legal Studies.

Purpose of PhD Seminar on Law & Finance

To enhance knowledge and skills in the research of law and finance topics for PhD candidates.

Agenda of the Seminar:

1. Viktoria Baklanova will read her 1000 word essay on “Locating Innovations: The Endogeneity of Technology, Organizational Structure, and Financial Contracting” by Ronald J. Gibson.
2. Alexey Arakcheev will present a presentation on “Justice & Islamic Finance”.
3. Rezarte Vukatana will read an essay on “The Intermediated Securities System Brussels I Breakdown” by John JA Burke and Anatoly Ostrovskiy.
4. Jose Maria Lezcano Navarro will read his essay on “Approach to corporate groups’ regulation in tax, criminal and environmental law" by Camillo Cubillos Garzon.
5. Discussion on the essays; and
6. Assignment of the tasks for the 4^th Seminar.

Notes on this Seminar will be posted within the next couple of days.

Ciao Ciao,

Joe

3rd PhD Seminar on Law & Finance

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance - 40th Weekly Meeting - CHANGE OF VENUE

Dear all
We are very sorry to learn that Professor Flood is unwell, so he will not be able to host the Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance group this evening.
We wish Professor Flood to recover quickly. With regard to our meeting, it will be held as usual in Room 516, 309 Regent Street, University of Westminster.
Apologies for the short time notice!!!!
Joe and Laura

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance - 40th Weekly Meeting - CHANGE OF VENUE

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance - 40th Weekly Meeting - Symposium at John's

Dear all

I am glad to invite you to the 40th session of the Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance: Symposium at John’s. The special event will take place on Friday 11 December 2009, from 6pm onwards (within reasonableness), at Professor John Flood’s home.

John Flood's address is 22 Ivor Place, Marylebone, London NW1 6EU. Phone 0780 170 5669.
Tube: Marylebone (4 stops from Oxford Circus). Baker St Tube is OK too.
Google Maps ref: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=NW1+6EU&sll=55.354135,-4.042969&sspn=7.773748,23.027344&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=London+NW1+6EU,+United+Kingdom&z=15

The format of the session includes (to repeat, includes) philosophising, drinking and eating.

We shall push on with the Meno for a few paragraphs and finally uncover Plato’s view on virtue.

After that – or maybe before or at the same time – we can sample Max Jammer's book entitled “Simultaneity”.

A meaning of going to John's house is "sharing". Everyone should bring something for themselves and someone else.

I start thanking Professor Flood for the friendly hospitality he is offering to the Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance “peripatetics”…

See you on Friday!!

Joe and Laura

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance - 40th Weekly Meeting - Symposium at John's

Joe's Book Review in The Investment Professional

The latest volume of The Investment Professional^®, the quarterly magazine of the influential New York Society of Security Analysts, Inc. (NYSSA), features a review of Joe Tanega’s recent book “Securitisation Law: EU and US Disclosure Regulations.”

Securitizations accounted for half of the $5.7 trillion raised in the US credit markets in 2007, according to the American Securitization Forum. Today the world is a very different place. Over the last couple of years, the problems in the structured finance markets have served to manifest the many faults in monetary policy and regulatory bodies, as well as highlighting the folly of human avarice. Yet securitization remains one of the most powerful financial innovations of the last century. On a practical level, it has enabled more people to own homes, pursue educations, or run small businesses, and it improved the standard of living globally.

In his book, Joe sets out the relevant regulations that govern ABSs (asset-backed securities) in the US and the EU (with a focus on the United Kingdom and Ireland). He engages the reader in an up-to-date discussion of the transparency mechanism and provides checklists of disclosure items along with practical aids such as flow charts. ABS disclosure regulations governed by the US Regulation AB are compared to those in the EU Prospectus Directive and Prospectus Regulation. As the modern economy opens the door to financial innovations and new products and methods, investors must recognize the nonroutine ways in which the new markets operate. Disclosure is a key component in enhancing investors’ risk awareness. The value of complete, consistent, and truthful financial-transaction disclosures cannot be overestimated for both legal professionals and educated investors.

The full text of the book’s review can be accessed following the link:

http://www.theinvestmentprofessional.com/vol_2_no_4/book-reviews.html

Joe's Book Review in The Investment Professional

Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in the UK

(Thanks to PSU)

The Westminster International Law and Theory Centre, and the Student Law Society are holding a public seminar on promoting and protecting human rights in the UK.

Thursday 10 December 2009: 1400-1700.

School of Law, Room 3.07, 4 Little Titchfield St, London W1W 7UW

Attendance is free but spaces are limited. Book yours by emailing:
e.mcclean@westminster.ac.uk

The current lineup of speakers includes:

Michael Willis MP, Justice Minister




Andrew Dismore MP, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Human Rights





Prof Francesca Klug, LSE, and former Commission of the Equality and Human Rights Commission




Roger Smith, Director of Justice








Questions and Answers afterwards.

Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in the UK

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance - 39th Weekly Meeting

Dear all

On Friday 4th December the 39th Session of the Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance will focus on:

(1) the Curie (Pierre) Principle of Symmetry which underpins all modern scientific theories--an important step in our ever continuous search for the meanings of symmetry; and

(2) readings from Plato's Meno, where Socrates "demonstrates" how the esoteric knowledge of the Pythagorean Theorem (for Pythagoras created a cult of secret knowledge) can be drawn out of an uneducated slave boy.

Note: the concepts of learning, education, knowledge and understanding for Plato are deeply philosophical--that is, they are entirely open to inspection from the beginning to the end of life; that they are linked to how we view and conduct our life every day, and possibly moment to moment, how they affect and effect our judgments about everything around us. If it is genuinely possible to "deduct" truths from ignorance, then it may be possible, although not assured, to discover the good and values which make our lives worthwhile living.

Such philosophical (self) examination will take place as usual from 6 to 8pm, in room 5.16, 309 Regent Street (University of Westminster). At 8.00pm we’ll head to Vapiano (19-21 Great Portland Street, W1W 8QB).

We hereby anticipate – with some eagerness – that the 40th Session will be extraordinarily hosted by Professor John Flood at his house in Marylebone. Details to come.

See you tomorrow!!

Joe and Laura

PS: Some interesting reading on contemporary events of law and finance: The Oil Drum (Discussions about Energy and Our Future) | Dubai's Debt Troubles: Beginning of the Next Leg Down? www.theoildrum.com/node/6000, 28 Nov 2009. Tags: debt unwind, Dubai, Dubai world, gold, oil prices.

Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance - 39th Weekly Meeting