Name: Critical Questions: “Uncertain Value: Medieval Literature and the Invention of Risk”
Start: 2026-11-04T16:00:00-08:00
End: 2026-11-04T17:00:00-08:00
Location: Memorial Union Building (MU)

Oregon events calendar

Union · Willamette Valley

When Nov 4, 2026 · 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Where Memorial Union Building (MU)
Address Memorial Union Building (MU), 208
City Union
Region Willamette Valley
Category Arts & Culture
Source Oregon State University Events
Last checked Nov 2, 2026

Tekla Bude, Associate Professor of Medieval Literature in the School of Writing, Literature, and FIlm, presents a lecture about the medieval roots of risk as part of the Critical Questions Lecture Series. Refreshments will be served.

Current histories of risk – the science of hedging against various potential futures – argue that no meaningful probabilistic risk frameworks existed prior to the 17th century invention of actuarial mathematics. This talk asks us to rethink this narrative through a consideration of the 13th century short epic poem De Vetula, which can best be described as an erotic-statistical satire.

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