For the 42nd gathering of the Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance, on Friday 19 February 2010, from 6.00 to 8.00pm, in room 5.16, 309 Regent Street (University of Westminster), I pass on you a firsthand note by Joe…
1. For the Second Series of Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance (Sessions 41 to 80), we began on February 12th, 2010, with session 41 with a lecture, presentation and short article by Viktoria Baklanova, PhD candidate and senior director of Fitch, New York, who uncovered some deep secrets about the most ordinary legal and financial certainty in the global financial system, i.e. the innocuous and ordinary money market fund. MMFs are paradoxical for their certainty of payment and their concentration of power. For those who
paid attention, the gift came from an understanding of phusis (the Greek) of that which grows and makes grow--from an initial fund of $300,000 in 1972 to the monster $5.8 trillion of 2008. Without an understanding of MMFs, we understand nothing of the credit crisis of 2006-08, nor do we understand how should financial regulations be formed so that you and I can enjoy the immediacy of absolute cash from our ATMs.
2. In many ways, what we experience in finance is what Heiddegger may have called the Dasein (being) of our lives. Finance, money and how the burden of their meanings threaten and compel us in our extraordinary meditations of the extraordinary events is philosophy in its intimate essence.
3. Therefore, to kick off the fireworks and the long-song of the second series of the Philosophical Foundations of Law and Finance, we will read Heiddegger's Introduction to Metaphysics translated by G Fried and Polt.
4. I will bring a few copies to the Friday session as gifts to those who promise to read it.
Let us be, then, at Vapiano (19-21 Great Portland Street, W1W 8QB) at 8.00pm for meal and drinks.
See you on Friday!
Laura
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