
Lux(λ) |光尘|空灵|GEB|May 15, 2025 09:23
Bitcoin: Satoshi Nakamoto's modern extension of relativity and distributed simultaneity issues
Since the time of Newton, the concept of absolute time has been deeply rooted in physics and philosophy, believing that time passes uniformly and is independent of any observer or physical process. However, with the advent of the electrification era at the end of the 19th century and the increasing demand for precise time synchronization, the limitations of absolute time perception gradually became apparent. Thinkers such as Poincar é began to question the absoluteness of time, believing that time is more of an artificial agreement, a concept constructed to coordinate observations from different locations. Einstein's theory of relativity completely overturned the absolute view of time, pointing out that time and space do not exist independently, but are interrelated and influenced by the observer's motion state. Time is no longer the ubiquitous ticking clock in the universe, but rather relative, defined by the transmission of information between observers (such as electromagnetic signals) to synchronize.
In the information age, especially with the increasing demand for decentralized trust, Satoshi Nakamoto's creation of Bitcoin can be seen as an innovative extension of Einstein and Poincar é's idea of relativity in distributed systems. One of the core features of Bitcoin is that it solves the problem of "simultaneity" in distributed systems through a decentralized approach, building a consensus based clock that does not require a central authority.
Poincar é's Agreement and Bitcoin Consensus
Poincar é believed that time is a convention established to establish a coordinated and consistent frame of reference between different locations. Bitcoin also embodies this concept of 'agreement' to some extent. All participants in the network follow a common set of protocol rules, including the verification of transactions and the organization of records. The longest record is considered valid, and new transactions must be included in the record and recognized through network consensus. These records are connected in a chain like manner, with each new record associated with the previous one, which is actually a distributed "time agreement" achieved through cryptographic means and network consensus.
Einstein's relativity and the time stamp of Bitcoin
Einstein's theory of relativity states that the synchronization of time depends on the transmission of information between observers. Although Bitcoin does not directly use electromagnetic signals, its time stamping mechanism reflects a kind of "relativity". Each set of transaction records contains a time stamp, which is not published by a centralized authority, but recorded by network participants and confirmed by the entire network through proof of work and verification of subsequent records to determine its relative validity. The 'time of occurrence' of a transaction is not an absolute moment, but rather relative to its position in the entire transaction record sequence and the consensus of the entire network.
Bitcoin: A Decentralized Time Clock
One of the core innovations of the Bitcoin white paper is the proposal of a decentralized time stamping system. This system is not a physically centralized entity, but is implemented through transaction records jointly maintained by distributed nodes. Each new set of transaction records is like a 'tick', recording transactions that occurred over a period of time and stamped with time stamps based on previous records. This mechanism ensures the immutability of transaction history and the reliability of chronological order, establishing a technology-based trust even in a completely trustless financial system. Perhaps in a financial system that has completely lost trust, time stamps will become the last pendulum
Modernization Expansion
The innovation of Bitcoin lies in its successful application of philosophical and physical ideas about the relativity and agreement of time, through cryptography, distributed networks, and consensus mechanisms, to solve practical computer science problems - achieving reliable simultaneity and transaction ordering in a decentralized environment. It goes beyond traditional time synchronization methods, no longer relying on centralized authority or human operation, but entrusting the recording and verification of time to a distributed machine network.
In summary, Bitcoin can be seen as a modernized extension of Einstein and Poincar é's views on relativity and conventional time by Satoshi Nakamoto. It utilizes CAS technology to build a distributed and decentralized "clock", which achieves synchronous sorting of transactions and tamper proof historical records through consensus mechanisms and cryptographic methods, providing a revolutionary solution for building trusted systems in untrusted environments.
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