Friday 29 July 2011

False Dichotomies: Intensionalists versus Extensionalists in the US Debt Default Theatre

1. One of the problems in philosophy which I have thought about for 41 years and have not got any closer to solving or resolving is the question of the one versus the many. Is reality one or many? Is it a false dichotomy? Is it a question at the heart of all mathematical theories, namely, number theory? Is it translated into the opposing camps of nominalists versus realists? Is it translated again amongst set theorists as intuitionists like Bouwer versus extensionalists like Zermelo-Frankel? And yet again amongst legal theorists as an opposition between monist-universalists versus cultural-pluralists? And the list of debates goes on and on, as if reflected and refracted on many pieces of broken glass and mirrors.

2. I suggest that if one wishes to develop theory then the optimal way is via Aristotle-Descates. This way is best for those who find it impossible to not question belief.

3. For true believers, the best is to find a way to complete the meaning of one's own religion.

4. How do (2) and (3) have anything to do with the US Debt Crisis? Well, an extreme view of either (2) or (3) leads to very similar conclusions. Using either, one will move towards the same goal of self-survival.

5. Now, consider the doubter of (2) and the believer of (3). The doubter cannot believe the US government will commit suicide and genocide by acts of incompetence. The believer believes a golden rabbit will be pulled out of the government's empty hat. So, what's the deal?

6. Anyone who has ever traded knows there is a second book that the auditors and compliance people can't quite put their fingers on. Applied to the US government, the US Treasury and the Fed have a lot more power than what they are saying to the hoi polloi. They can manufacture on my estimate at least another trillion dollars out of thin air by booking profits, monetizing gold reserves and accounting on an accrued-pull-cash-flow forward basis. These are tricks legitimated in practice and acceptable de iure. For a discussion of these techniques, see: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/stop-presses-fed-can-fund-treasury-over-half-trillion-emergency-capital.

7. So, do we have an answer to the false dichotomies? Does it matter if we don't get an optimal answer by August 2nd?

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