Zhu Jiaming: Blockchain is likely to bring a "paradigm revolution" in the scientific field

On December 6, 2019, the "Hainan Free Trade Port Digital Economy and Blockchain International Cooperation Forum" was held in Haikou. Professor Zhu Jiaming, an economist and director of the Academic and Technical Committee of the Digital Asset Research Institute, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Scientific Features of Comprehensive Cognitive Blockchain" at the meeting.

He pointed out that blockchain is not only technology, but also science. And, blockchain is a comprehensive science, involving mathematics, cryptography, computer science, quantum computing, and so on. Related disciplines are not exhaustive, and there are likely to be undiscovered disciplines. There is a mapping relationship between the blockchain scientific system and the blockchain technology cluster: the expansion of the scientific foundation can support the expansion of the blockchain technology cluster, and the expansion of the blockchain technology cluster will push the scientific foundation deeper. Blockchain is likely to bring about a "paradigm revolution" in science.

Based on the basic consensus that blockchain is science, Professor Zhu Jiaming proposed the establishment of the "Blockchain Academy of Sciences" as the main sponsor, and put forward a ten-point initiative when the Blockchain Academy was established.

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The following is the full text of Professor Zhu Jiaming's speech:

Good morning, every body. The theme of my speech today is "Comprehensive Understanding of the Scientific Features of Blockchain."

Einstein once said that science is endless and it is an eternal mystery (Science is endless, it is an eternal mystery.) Blockchain is not only technology, but science. Therefore, the blockchain also has these two characteristics: firstly, the understanding and research of the blockchain is endless; secondly, the blockchain has brought us too many imaginations and made us face too many puzzles mystery of.

Due to time, I will focus on six points today:

(1) Blockchain is a kind of "comprehensive science";

(2) Variation of the scientific genes of the blockchain;

(3) "Conjecture" of the scientific evolution model of the blockchain;

(4) Interaction between blockchain science and humanities;

(5) The relationship between blockchain science and blockchain technology;

(6) Blockchain is likely to bring about a "paradigm revolution" in the scientific field.

1. Blockchain is a "comprehensive science"

Blockchain is a "comprehensive science" that involves many disciplines and achieves interdisciplinary cross-cutting. We now know at least that blockchain is closely related to scientific disciplines such as cryptography, mathematics, quantum science, and computer science.

In the figure below, I have made a lot of squares, some of which are filled in the corresponding disciplines, and some are still blank. This means that now we should not and cannot think that we know all the scientific disciplines that underpin the blockchain. The disciplines related to blockchain are not exhaustive, and there are likely to be disciplines that have not yet been discovered. Moreover, there is the possibility of extension in every discipline, such as blockchain and topology may have an innate connection.

2.Blockchain science gene mutation

We now see that there are obviously three possibilities for the scientific genetic mutation of the blockchain.

The first is the genetic variation of the blockchain caused by the evolution of blockchain science itself.

The second is the "intrusion" of the blockchain system from other sciences outside the blockchain system, such as quantum computing. On November 30, I hosted a seminar at South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, entitled "Quantum Computing and Blockchain." The symposium formed a common view that quantum science will have an impact on the blockchain, and the result of this impact may be the generation of "quantum blockchain", at least a conjecture. We can see the connection between quantum mechanics, quantum computing and blockchain, and the possibility of combining quantum science and blockchain.

The third is the variation of the blockchain caused by the reaction of new technologies. For example, 5G, 6G, space technology, etc., may have a considerable impact and change on the blockchain system we understand.

3. The "conjecture" of the blockchain scientific evolution model

Regarding the evolution model of blockchain science, I put forward four conjectures.

The first conjecture is called concentric circle epitaxy. This conjecture was proposed by Mr. Zhang Hongwei, Dean of the Yangtze River Delta Branch of the Digital Asset Research Institute, and understood the currently known blockchain as a fairly mature system, which continued to expand outward in the development process.

In addition, I think there are three other evolution models, namely the iterative upgrade model, the mainstream blockchain split model, and the discrete model. The iterative upgrade model is a mainstream discourse, such as the universal blockchain 1.0 and 2.0 dissertation. In addition, there are mainstream blockchain split models. The more potential evolution model is the blockchain discrete model.

Today's understanding of the blockchain and the scientific foundation that underpins it is likely to be only part of the future blockchain system. It is unknown whether there is a direct relationship between them. But in general, the blockchain should be understood as an open, iterative system. It can be called a conjecture on the scientific evolution model of blockchain. Without conjecture, there is no science.

4.Interaction between blockchain science and humanities

We can clearly see the frequent and close interaction between the current blockchain science and the humanities.

Blockchain not only has an impact on economics, finance, currency, and accounting, but is also subverting and changing the original economics and monetary architecture system; the impact of blockchain on law is severe, and the impact on legal practice is also irresistible Underestimation; Blockchain has also had a profound impact on sociology and politics, including social governance theory and social organization theory; Blockchain is also comparable to post-human society, especially Cyborgized human society Deep connection; of course, no one can deny the impact of blockchain on traditional philosophy. For example, "what is existence", blockchain science has changed people's understanding of existence. Because of the blockchain, "existentialism", which was once extremely influential, must be redefined.

5.The relationship between blockchain science and blockchain technology

What is the relationship between blockchain science and blockchain technology?

I think it is a mapping relationship. Blockchain science is a comprehensive scientific system, and blockchain technology is a technology cluster. The expansion of the scientific foundation of the blockchain can support the expansion of the blockchain technology cluster, and the expansion of the blockchain technology cluster will in turn force the deepening of its science and technology.

If we simply understand blockchain science and blockchain technology as the relationship between A and B, we will find that there is indeed a one-to-one correspondence and relationship between each other.

6.Blockchain is likely to bring a "paradigm revolution" in the scientific field

Paradigm is the most creative and controversial scientific philosophy proposition of the 20th century. Thomas Sammual Kuhn proposed the "paradigm revolution in science", but he did not clearly understand and explain what the "paradigm revolution" was. He proposed 21 interpretations, but the "paradigm" gradually disappeared in the post-Kuhn era, and people's fascination with the paradigm entered a low tide.

But now we can see that the blockchain is likely to activate the "paradigm" vitality. Because blockchain as a structure and system does have the basic elements of a "paradigm": beliefs, methods, theories, models, applications, software and hardware, and the scientific community.

This is something Kuhn couldn't do before he died. If he lives today, he must be excited about it.

7.Open source, open, independent, global Blockchain Academy of Sciences

Blockchain is not only technology, but science.

Based on this premise, in order to better study the basic scientific characteristics of the blockchain and promote the application of blockchain technology, we consider it very necessary and propose to initiate the establishment of the Blockchain Academy of Sciences. The Blockchain Academy of Sciences is an open-source, open, independent, and global science institute. Therefore, here today, we are advocating the promotion and advocacy of the establishment of the Blockchain Academy of Sciences, hoping that more people can participate in the co-construction of the Blockchain Academy of Sciences, so that it can develop and enhance the breadth and depth of global blockchain technology awareness.

thank you all.

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