jimbobway
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September 11, 2012, 11:21:03 PM |
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If bitcoins are tangible then tangibility needs to be redefined such that tangible objects cannot be easily copied. You cannot copy a bitcoin. A bitcoin is tangible because, in addition to being clear and definite, it cannot be duplicated (easily).
I think you are conflating two issues unnecessarily: tangibility and scarcity. An item, either physical or informational, can be tangible, or in other words be real, and yet not be scarce. And before we start talking about and discussing property rights with regards to bitcoins I think it is important that we establish that bitcoins are real, or in other words, tangible. I agree that bitcoins are tangible, but why are bitcoins tangible and math equations not tangible? Well, I think it could be possible that tangibility could also depend on scarcity. Hollywood movies are worth more if the material is new, has a good plot, and that pirated movies are scarce. If a film is more pirated then Hollywood makes less money. Hollywood would like to believe that their movies are tangible, but thepiratebay believes information is free and that movies are most likely not tangible. It seems like if something has value then it is tangible. Value depends on scarcity. There is an infinite supply of air guitars so these musical instruments have no value and thus are not tangible. Bitcoins are scarce and have value, and thus, it is one reason they are tangible.
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jimbobway
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September 11, 2012, 11:35:44 PM |
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The entire tangibility issue is really a matter of proof... Or, the belief in a proof.
If I am holding a gold coin in my hand that serves as a fair level of proof that A.) It exists, and B.) I control it (own it). Once gold is represented by an abstraction layer like a deposit in a gold account there has to be an extension of the proof in the validity of the ledger of those accounts, including proof that the gold is actually there to back them up.
Bitcoin solves this problem very efficiently, and it will become more efficient as economies of scale are realized and technology improves. But there is a limit to the efficiency of that proof for any physical commodity because it must be physically counted, stored, secured, transported, etc.
I can prove I have an air guitar. I just pretend I have an air guitar, pretend to jam, and voila! I have an air guitar! It's easy. So I don't think the "proof" method works to determine tangibility.
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cypherdoc
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September 11, 2012, 11:38:05 PM |
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If bitcoins are tangible then tangibility needs to be redefined such that tangible objects cannot be easily copied. You cannot copy a bitcoin. A bitcoin is tangible because, in addition to being clear and definite, it cannot be duplicated (easily).
I think you are conflating two issues unnecessarily: tangibility and scarcity. An item, either physical or informational, can be tangible, or in other words be real, and yet not be scarce. And before we start talking about and discussing property rights with regards to bitcoins I think it is important that we establish that bitcoins are real, or in other words, tangible. I agree that bitcoins are tangible, but why are bitcoins tangible and math equations not tangible? Well, I think it could be possible that tangibility could also depend on scarcity. Hollywood movies are worth more if the material is new, has a good plot, and that pirated movies are scarce. If a film is more pirated then Hollywood makes less money. Hollywood would like to believe that their movies are tangible, but thepiratebay believes information is free and that movies are most likely not tangible. It seems like if something has value then it is tangible. Value depends on scarcity. There is an infinite supply of air guitars so these musical instruments have no value and thus are not tangible. Bitcoins are scarce and have value, and thus, they are tangible. The entire tangibility issue is really a matter of proof... Or, the belief in a proof. If I am holding a gold coin in my hand that serves as a fair level of proof that A.) It exists, and B.) I control it (own it). Once gold is represented by an abstraction layer like a deposit in a gold account there has to be an extension of the proof in the validity of the ledger of those accounts, including proof that the gold is actually there to back them up. Bitcoin solves this problem very efficiently, and it will become more efficient as economies of scale are realized and technology improves. But there is a limit to the efficiency of that proof for any physical commodity because it must be physically counted, stored, secured, transported, etc. this is exactly one of the problems with gold. the majority of storage has to be in centralized places like the LBMA, Comex, basement of the FRBNY. but is it really there? why do you think several foreign countries like Germany have requested to remove their gold from the likes of these? b/c they can't trust the caretakers. neither can the American people.
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Chalkbot
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September 12, 2012, 12:58:04 AM |
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That is proof... And it is worth exactly what air guitars are worth on the open market.
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notme
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September 12, 2012, 01:44:44 AM |
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If bitcoins are tangible then tangibility needs to be redefined such that tangible objects cannot be easily copied. You cannot copy a bitcoin. A bitcoin is tangible because, in addition to being clear and definite, it cannot be duplicated (easily).
I think you are conflating two issues unnecessarily: tangibility and scarcity. An item, either physical or informational, can be tangible, or in other words be real, and yet not be scarce. And before we start talking about and discussing property rights with regards to bitcoins I think it is important that we establish that bitcoins are real, or in other words, tangible. I agree that bitcoins are tangible, but why are bitcoins tangible and math equations not tangible? Well, I think it could be possible that tangibility could also depend on scarcity. Hollywood movies are worth more if the material is new, has a good plot, and that pirated movies are scarce. If a film is more pirated then Hollywood makes less money. Hollywood would like to believe that their movies are tangible, but thepiratebay believes information is free and that movies are most likely not tangible. It seems like if something has value then it is tangible. Value depends on scarcity. There is an infinite supply of air guitars so these musical instruments have no value and thus are not tangible. Bitcoins are scarce and have value, and thus, it is one reason they are tangible. Sorry for the offtopic, but the bold sentence is flat out wrong. The highest grossing films are also the most pirated. So called pirates also spend more money on movies and music than the average person.
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Chalkbot
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September 12, 2012, 01:55:17 AM |
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That is proof... And it is worth exactly what air guitars are worth on the open market.
Well, you see, that's not the same. Because then you have to deal with the abstraction layer of eBay. Sheldon? Is that you?
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jimbobway
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September 12, 2012, 03:26:39 AM |
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The entire tangibility issue is really a matter of proof... Or, the belief in a proof.
If I am holding a gold coin in my hand that serves as a fair level of proof that A.) It exists, and B.) I control it (own it). Once gold is represented by an abstraction layer like a deposit in a gold account there has to be an extension of the proof in the validity of the ledger of those accounts, including proof that the gold is actually there to back them up.
Bitcoin solves this problem very efficiently, and it will become more efficient as economies of scale are realized and technology improves. But there is a limit to the efficiency of that proof for any physical commodity because it must be physically counted, stored, secured, transported, etc.
I can prove I have an air guitar. I just pretend I have an air guitar, pretend to jam, and voila! I have an air guitar! It's easy. So I don't think the "proof" method works to determine tangibility. That is proof... And it is worth exactly what air guitars are worth on the open market. Interesting. If that is the case then everything including thought, math equations, air guitars is tangible. It's just that it is worth $0.
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molecular
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September 12, 2012, 01:35:09 PM |
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The entire tangibility issue is really a matter of proof... Or, the belief in a proof.
If I am holding a gold coin in my hand that serves as a fair level of proof that A.) It exists, and B.) I control it (own it). Once gold is represented by an abstraction layer like a deposit in a gold account there has to be an extension of the proof in the validity of the ledger of those accounts, including proof that the gold is actually there to back them up.
Bitcoin solves this problem very efficiently, and it will become more efficient as economies of scale are realized and technology improves. But there is a limit to the efficiency of that proof for any physical commodity because it must be physically counted, stored, secured, transported, etc.
I can prove I have an air guitar. I just pretend I have an air guitar, pretend to jam, and voila! I have an air guitar! It's easy. So I don't think the "proof" method works to determine tangibility. That is proof... And it is worth exactly what air guitars are worth on the open market. Interesting. If that is the case then everything including thought, math equations, air guitars is tangible. It's just that it is worth $0. Piss is tangible. And so, we see the weakness of logical positivism... I don't get it. Where in this thread did we (even try to) link tangibility with value?
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PGP key molecular F9B70769 fingerprint 9CDD C0D3 20F8 279F 6BE0 3F39 FC49 2362 F9B7 0769
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sadpandatech
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September 12, 2012, 01:37:14 PM |
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If you're not excited by the idea of being an early adopter 'now', then you should come back in three or four years and either tell us "Told you it'd never work!" or join what should, by then, be a much more stable and easier-to-use system. - GA
It is being worked on by smart people. -DamienBlack
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cypherdoc
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September 12, 2012, 01:59:33 PM |
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190 billion euro is not enough.
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molecular
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September 12, 2012, 02:10:24 PM |
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190 billion euro is not enough. hmm, I thought supermario was buying govt. debt with no limit (albeit strings attached)?
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PGP key molecular F9B70769 fingerprint 9CDD C0D3 20F8 279F 6BE0 3F39 FC49 2362 F9B7 0769
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cypherdoc
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September 12, 2012, 02:21:34 PM |
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190 billion euro is not enough. hmm, I thought supermario was buying govt. debt with no limit (albeit strings attached)? what the hell is wrong with you Germans anyway? can't you reign in that Merkel and the Karlsrhue? Draghi-f*cks announcement is so garbled who knows what it means. "sterilized" means no more new money. "conditionality" means giving up sovereignty to IMF and Troika. buying the short end is gonna mean a continual series of rollovers ad infinitum at increasing frequency. they're making it worse.
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silverbox
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September 12, 2012, 02:44:26 PM |
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Draghi-f*cks announcement is so garbled who knows what it means. "sterilized" means no more new money. "conditionality" means giving up sovereignty to IMF and Troika. buying the short end is gonna mean a continual series of rollovers ad infinitum at increasing frequency. they're making it worse.
There's still something left in the can, so kick it down the road.. Did you think they would do anything different?? The price movement in PM's is telling me Big Ben is about to get into the kicking game as well
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cypherdoc
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September 13, 2012, 02:42:16 PM |
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here's the problem there and throughout the world; banks get to pay 0% or print free money for themselves but they insist that everyone else, citizens, corporations, municipalities, and even gov'ts pay either thru high interest rates or thru "conditionalities" aka austerity or coughing up your assets (a few islands here and there).
when is the nightmare going to stop?
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SkRRJyTC
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September 13, 2012, 04:41:56 PM |
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totaleclipseofthebank
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September 13, 2012, 04:51:20 PM |
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why don't they just buy $40b of chevy volts, fill them with iphone 5s, solyndra solar panels, and corn ethanol, and then set them all on fire every month
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Severian
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September 13, 2012, 04:52:42 PM |
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why don't they just buy $40b of chevy volts, fill them with iphone 5s, solyndra solar panels, and corn ethanol, and then set them all on fire every month
I'm confused. I thought that's what they're doing anyway.
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TheDom
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September 13, 2012, 05:23:17 PM |
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So, does QE3 mean everyone here starts posting rocket pictures ?
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SkRRJyTC
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September 13, 2012, 05:24:05 PM |
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So, does QE3 mean everyone here starts posting rocket pictures ?
Silver and Gold rockets
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