Over the summer, I have the opportunity to think deeply about the ecosystem of technologies that go by the name “Blockchain.” I’m focusing particularly on how these might apply in a couple of different scientific and healthcare contexts. I plan to post snippets here from time to time, as much to force me to clarify my thinking as anything else. As Hyman Rickover said, "Nothing so sharpens the thought process as writing down one's arguments. Weaknesses overlooked in oral discussion become painfully obvious on the written page."
One challenge when trying to talk about blockchain is that it is massively hyped – sitting right at the peak of Gartner’s hype cycle. Most of the meetings I go to these days include at least one person who asks, regardless of the topic at hand, “what about blockchain?”
Another challenge is that Blockchain is strongly associated with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The hype brings a certain breathiness to the conversation, while the finance connection brings associations with fraud and nefarious dealings. Neither of these is entirely merited – but I’m finding it important to keep in mind as I explore.
For all that, the foundational documents are remarkably crisp, lucid, and readable. The original bitcoin paper, written under the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto,” is only eight pages long – plus a half page of references.
It’s clear to me that there’s important work to be done in this space – and I’m thrilled to have the time to take part.
