Einsteinâs insight for general relativity was that acceleration and gravity must be the same thing, since a simple instrument canât distinguish them. From this, he arrived at the curvature of space-time.
Cryptography offers a similar dichotomy. Whether an algorithm is brute-forced, or the user knows the private key, the simple instrument (proof) canât tell the difference.
In a sense, force and knowledge must be the same thing. But what is our space-time curvature? #asknostr #philosophy
love the question.
"Knowledge is power" sounds good to me
They are only indistinguishable locally (like sky diving), but not actually the same thing (big picture mass and energy) so this might be tricky to push out to cryptography? Beyond my pay grade really, but fun to ponder đ
Yeah, still pondering. I mean, itâs a metaphor, which is doomed. Every metaphor is ânot the same thingâ by definition. If it was the same thing, it wouldnât be a metaphor.
However, sometimes pondering metaphors leads to insight. Thatâs what Iâm exploring here.
I think thereâs something to be said for complexity, intelligence and will. Like, we might say that matter âwantsâ to get together (gravity). Genes âwantâ to propagate. Chemicals âwantâ to react, etc.
And so we intelligent beings of higher complexity want things of a higher order. When we interact with simpler systems, simpler (brute) means apply. If you want to move dirt, you scoop it. But if you want to move public sentiment, sophisticated persuasive tools are more effective than brute force.
To escape a gravity well, you have to expel propellant. Direct application of force in the face of brute physics. To unlock a cryptographic system, you *can* use brute force, but you can also apply knowledgeâthe private keys.
I donât know where Iâm going with this. Just thinking aloud.
I think itâs more than just âknowledge is powerâ. Like, knowledge is a superior substitute for force. âPen is mightier than the swordâ kind of thing.
