Chain of thought: Exploring blockchain through the lens of philosophy

This paper examines blockchain through the lens of philosophy, arguing that the technology challenges traditional notions of identity and trust while enabling greater autonomy and agency. It draws parallels between blockchain concepts and ideas from posthumanism, transhumanism, accelerationism, critical theory, and speculative realism, and identifies thirteen philosophical pillars of blockchain. The authors also suggest blockchain could drive societal changes such as new forms of governance and expanded human capabilities, while noting critiques and calling for further research. The paper states that many philosophers it cites do not explicitly discuss blockchain, so the connections are interpretive.