Homework on Consensus - Questions

Blockchain and Bitcoin 101
#3034

Homework on Consensus - Questions

  1. It means that several parties decide if the transaction is Ok.

  2. It’s about removing trust, it’s impossible to cheat. You can verify the transactions by checking the entire network.

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#3035
  1. Consensus is when several opinions agree to the facts that are available. It is when harmony in agreement from many sources becomes how truth can be confirmed and validated.
  2. A centralized system controls what is allowed to be known.
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#3036
  • What does it mean when we say that in blockchain, consensus determine the truth?
  • How is this different from how truth is determined in a central database?

Consensus is agreement by the nodes that something (an entry) is true.
In a single database, there is just one entity adding data, and that data is added on a basis of trust to be correct - it relies on the editor and is open to manipulation.

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#3037

  1. Consensus determines the truth because if the majority of people agree on something, it is the truth, which stops people from claiming to having an amount of a cryptocurrency which they do not have.

  2. In a central database the truth can be determined from one person without the agreement of others, this is not the case with blockchain.

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#3038

1.) "You remain in the network by following the same rules as everyone else. If you decided to change the ruleset on your local computer, you would simply be evicted from the network (you no longer speak the same language as everyone else). Your unilateral decision to change the rules would not impact the actual Bitcoin network in any way whatsoever.

The only way to change the rules of the Bitcoin social contract is to convince people to voluntarily accept your proposed rule changes at the social layer. As each network member is self-interested, they will only adopt rules that benefit them. Seeing as its current rules are already optimal for Bitcoin holders (resistance to confiscation, censorship, inflation and counterfeit) it would be extremely difficult to convince a majority of the approximately 30 million network participants to change rulesets. This asymmetrical governance dynamic virtually rules out any contentious changes from succeeding, as they would never get broad social consensus. Therefore, the Bitcoin network can be upgraded in ways that align with the collective best interests of its members and is at the same time highly resilient to changes that contradict these interests." - Robert Breedlove

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2.) A central database has one central authority that says what is truth, while consensus decentralizes the authority and credibility via protocol and accurate recording of transactions through a network.

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#3039
  1. What does it mean when we say that in blockchain, consensus determine the truth?

It means all people or computers must come to agreement to reach consensus.

  1. How is this different from how truth is determined in a central database?

A centralized database is controlled by a central authority. Centralized databases can be altered or changed.

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#3040

  1. The blockchain does not just allow one single version of truth to be added to a single block on a single node, it verifies the truth through all blocks and all nodes reaching consensus.

  2. A central database can have information amended or omitted by a single or group of actors within a central authority and trust is required to accept the authenticity and accuracy from who provides authority and those authorized with limited or no external verification by other centralized independent regulative bodies

These answers were published by the user THINKER. I have copied them as the best definitions I have read, can’t deliver any better than this. Congrats THINKER

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#3041

1. What does it mean when we say that in blockchain, consensus determine the truth?
Consensus means that you have several parties which decide on something (Transaction check on BTC Blockchain). This gives transparency for tracking for example the supply chain of a product, since we don’t have to trust one entity but we can trust the agreement of the whole network to say the truth.

2. How is this different from how truth is determined in a central database?
In a central database, there is always the possibility for the central entity to change, remove or adjust data. Therefore, the truth lies in the hands of the central entity. In a public database there is no possibility in doing such things, therefore the truth lies on a collective level.

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#3042

  1. That means that not a single entity can determine what happend but rather a collection of entitys come to an agreement.

  2. In a central database are different types of players, the customer who wants his money in the database and from a to b and the admin who controlls the database and holds all the power over it.

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#3043
  1. Consensus determine the truth because there are numerous parties involved (nodes/miners) and they all have to agree in order to make a certain transaction successful. And all parties are motivated to play by the rules because that’s what makes them money. (Such brilliant idea! As I go deeper into this blockchain/bitcoin topic it just amazes me how brilliant this whole idea is!)
  2. Central base is run by humans and they don’t have to all agree on what is really the truth. Can be manipulated.
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#3044

1- It means that it is the point of the transaction where all the miners agree that the information entered is in fact true and it is in this agreement that they have reached consensus.
2- It is different than a normal data base in that it is done in a decentralized manor. In a normal data base I suppose that there is one node or set of code to reach this truth vs many nodes/computers deciding this truth. So you have that much more computational power to find this truth vs not as much, so I would assume this would be more accurate. As well this truth in blockchain once recorded will never change assuming said code is accurate and secure.

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#3045

1)Consensus determines the truth in blockchain through what is essentially, a network that allows for a trustless verification process.
For example: A network of computers communicating together to allow for a Bitcoin coding update. Once the network verifies this is the correct piece of code that has been agreed on, the update can then take place.

2)There is no neutral “network” to verify the truth when it comes to centralised databases. Centralised databases are controlled by a central authority which verifies the information. This method lacks the trustless nature provided by blockchain.

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#3046

Homework on Consensus - Questions

  1. What does it mean when we say that in blockchain, consensus determine the truth?

Consensus is the agreement of the network ,trustless and the blockchain verify the data and nobody can change it once is accepted .

  1. How is this different from how truth is determined in a central database?
    well the different is huge , in a central database there will be always an autority who can change, modified or erase the data and also can be hacked. blockchain is about verify an trustless.
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#3047

  1. If participants on the blockchain collectively confirm the data is correct then it is added to the blockchain. If the information is false it is rejected.

  2. In a central database the central authority itself decides what the truth is.

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#3048

  1. it means that the truth is decided and agreed on collectively by the network of nodes

  2. in a central database there is an authority and they may not be truthful , and it can get hacked.

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#3049

  1. The network nodes must all agree with each other regarding supplies, quantity and standards etc. supplied.

  2. In normal business transactions, who communicates with who? Not all suppliers communicate together to produce the end product. It’s normally not until the end product is produced that the anomalies are found, or never are many cases.

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#3050

1- With consensus blockchain, network of computors all need to agree, decentralise more than one player, as several parties are in involved and consensus removes trust = Trustlessness a collective agreement.

2- Generally in private or central government/database some one or central authority has control and can manipulate data or images files etc to there liking making corruptible. acts without Consensus does not have a public verification system and is not incentivised to play by the rules and unite all players.

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#3051
  1. What does it mean when we say that in blockchain, consensus determine the truth?

In blockchain, consensus determines the truth is a short way of saying that the truth is determined based on a distributed network of ledgers that are all in agreement on a given transaction/execution based on their pre-determined and stored immutable data based on previous transactions/executions.

  1. How is this different from how truth is determined in a central database?

Blockchain consensus is different than centralized as the blockchain data is stored with multiple unbiased third parties through a network relying on immutable pre-recorded data that have to come to an agreement on a transaction/execution. A central database is a biased, one party system that requires you to just take their word and is not based on publicly audit-able real-time database like blockchain is.

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#3052

  1. It means the decision was made or verified by a network of computers all coming to the same agreement.

  2. In a central database only 1 source is used to verify the information or transaction and there is no group party agreeing.

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#3053
  • What does it mean when we say that in blockchain, consensus determines the truth?
  • How is this different from how truth is determined in a central database?
    [/quote]

the consensus is reached by the network of computers on the blockchain, verifying the transaction.

Databases tend to be centralized and verified by local code

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