How, if at all, might the use of derivatives be seen by some as having minimized (or at least mitigated) our current economic woes, while at the same time be seen by others, as possibly having caused (or at least added fuel to) the impact and depth of the current economic crisis, the subsequent equities market crunch, and the fuel price madness that heated up and may yet do so again given current market volatilities??? The question, simply put is; how can two groups (pros and cons) looking at the exact same instruments (derivatives) see two completely different things? To answer this question, one must know derivatives, and address both the arguments of derivative proponents and the arguments of their detractors