Philosophy

What Blockchain Oracles Do Not See

Blockchain promises an immutable history of on-chain data. But the “ledger of record” is merely a new way to manufacture consent.

Opinion  ·  13 August 2021

What Warren Buffett Misses About Valuing Digital Assets

Do digital assets have intrinsic value?

Opinion  ·  6 August 2021
Decentralization

Did Laozi Dream of Blockchain?

The ancient Daoist philosopher has lessons for the crypto age, in the latest essay for Crypto Questioned.

Opinion  ·  30 July 2021
Bitcoin

Love Bitcoin? Mine Your Values

Mining bitcoin can guide the network to sustainability, protect it from being commandeered and maintain decentralization.

Opinion  ·  28 July 2021
Bitcoin

What Is Bitcoin Freedom?

Bitcoin is not just for libertarians or progressives. It's a system firmly rooted in the republican notion of non-dominance.

Opinion  ·  23 July 2021
Hard Forks

Hard Forks Are Fan Fiction

If the Bitcoin network is a collectively told story, as the philosopher Craig Warmke argued, wouldn't hard forks be fan fiction?

Opinion  ·  16 July 2021
Opinion

Ethereum’s Political Philosophy Explained

Conceptions of Bitcoin's political philosophy are well known. Paul Ennis examines what ideology animates Ethereum.

Opinion  ·  9 July 2021
Opinion

Debasing the Currency: Putting Crypto in Context

Introducing a new series exploring the philosophical limits of cryptocurrency.

Opinion  ·  9 July 2021
Bitcoin

Bitcoin Is Batman

Another way of looking at the philosopher Craig Warmke's conception of Bitcoin as a fictional substance.

People  ·  1 June 2021
Ethereum

The Reflexivity of ‘Number Go Up’ Technology

A crash course in mimetic theory as it relates to Ethereum's latest price surge.

People  ·  4 May 2021
Bitcoin

The Node: Bitcoin Is Real, Fictional Money

Ever wonder if bitcoin is real money? You're not alone.

People  ·  27 April 2021
Opinion

Fascism on the Blockchain? The Work of Art in the Age of NFTs

The same fascistic tendencies Walter Benjamin saw in the rise of mass media are at play in the NFT "revolution," too, culture critic Jonathan Beller writes.

People  ·  23 March 2021
Bitcoin

Why Bitcoin Needs Philosophy

When should I CoinJoin? What is a Bitcoin transaction? Are forked cryptos new assets? These seemingly quotidian crypto questions are deeper than you think.

People  ·  9 November 2020
Bitcoin

Bitcoin Has Lost Its Way: Here’s How to Return to Crypto’s Subversive Roots

Bitcoin has traded its radical potential for the prospect of mainstream adoption. It's not worth it, writes Rachel-Rose O'Leary.

Tech  ·  21 August 2020
Politics

Left, Right and Center: Crypto Isn’t Just for Libertarians Anymore

The crypto community is more ideologically diverse than you might think, according to survey results in CoinDesk's Q2 2018 State of Blockchain report.

Tech  ·  27 July 2018