Bitcoin, the Gospel of Freedom: Spinoza, the Enlightenment and the Philosophy of the Cypherpunks

Bitcoin, that digital gold...

Bitcoin enables the exchange of digital value on the Internet. Without a trusted third party, and thanks to a computer protocol that, as a reward for validating transactions, creates digital tokens in decreasing and limited quantities.

The rarity of this token, bitcoin, gives it the capacity to become a new type of currency, with all the qualities of gold but none of the shortcomings, apart from being a disruptive new concept that can be difficult to understand.

But if we are rational, curious and willing, as the Enlightenment and Spinoza's practical philosophy invite us to be in our daily lives, this cryptocurrency will enable us to expect a better world in the difficult economic, geopolitical and ecological context of the early 21st century.

The practical aspect of Bitcoin, i.e., its usefulness and the ingenuity of its technology, its political aspect and finally its philosophical aspect will make us think about freedom. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression, the right to privacy and, of course, freedom to exchange.