Subnostr

#Bitcoin is NOT time.

I generally like the idea of #[1] of how time and money are related, although the definition of time he is giving is merely philosophical. It doesn’t mean it’s wrong though. Quite the opposite: in a discrete distributed system where each entity by default has its own clock, using continuous time is not always convenient. But it is just a technical problem to define a proper one.

TL;DR

However, from a physics point of view (let’s not consider advanced string theories where time is considered an artifact), time is related to entropy. In the end, the #bitcoin network is nothing but an open thermodynamic system (external energy can go in out). In an open thermodynamic system, entropy as a measure of disorder can fluctuate. Among all fluctuations, only those are of interest for us, where the entropy decreases. This can happen spontaneously (extremely unlikely though) or by performing work. Sometimes we are able to capture and store this gained energy, but it is not always efficient. Bitcoin is one way to capture and store energy efficiently in the thermodynamic sense, IF we achieve a global consensus that it is useful.

Long story short, in my option, a more appropriate way to think about #bitcoin is to refer to thermodynamics and entropy. Time is just a way for us to delineate the past from the future based on the notion of irreversible processes.

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Marcelinho 2y ago

I like both ideas and I think I understand both approaches

thank you for your text it is exciting to think about your point of view 🧡

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Discussion

Maxim 2y ago

🫂

Both approaches are not mutually contradictory. What I see #bitcoin as is a way to temporarily store electric energy in the form of cryptographic hashes, which is achieved by synchronizing a network of nodes via a distributed database. I also think you CAN achieve an absolute time in a distributed system — indeed this is possible with GPS synchronized over super precise atomic clocks. #[2] approach is to define #bitcoin as the collective economic effort over a certain period of time stored in a decentralized network, which itself is the clock. But this misses the notion of energy, which makes me think what #[2] actually means with „time“ is in fact entropy.