EP05: Bittensor's Philosophical Ethos: Open Source Freedoms Driving TAO Wealth

60 snips

Aug 21, 2025

Dive into the philosophical depths of Bittensor and its community-driven approach, contrasting it with typical trading-focused tokens. Discover Richard Stallman's four freedoms in open source software and the transformative potential of decentralized technologies. Explore the implications of AI on software development and the unique features of alpha tokens. Uncover the ethics of venture capital, the future of stablecoins, and the innovative subnet applications for mental health. Finally, witness the evolving landscape of decentralized finance and the pivotal role of incentives.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

From Cult Skepticism To Deep Buy-In

Joseph Jacks initially thought Bittensor felt cult-like but then embraced its deep philosophical story.
He tied that ethos to open source and long-term societal impact.

INSIGHT

Philosophical Community Drives Long-Term Value

Bittensor's community is philosophical and mission-driven, not just trading-focused.
That ethos attracts sustained contributor motivation beyond short-term speculators.

INSIGHT

Stallman's Four Freedoms Underpin The Ethos

Richard Stallman's four freedoms shaped open source and human control over technology.
Those freedoms (inspect, modify, distribute, distribute with changes) underpin Bittensor's philosophical lineage.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Episode Description:

In this episode, James and JJ explore Bittensor's philosophical community (vs. other tokens' trading focus), open source freedoms from Richard Stallman (four freedoms: inspect, modify, distribute, distribute with changes), incentives as a meta-language for problem-solving, Bittensor's neural network parallels, subnet valuations via fully diluted value (FDV) and discounted TAO flow (DTF) analysis, emission schedules (2-3x faster for alpha tokens), and emerging TaoFi opportunities (e.g., borrowing against future tokens).

Key Timestamps & Topics:

00:00:00 - Intro: Bittensor's cult-like ethos for positive impact; incentives for sustainability.
00:01:00 - Community Philosophy: Bittensor's depth (growing intelligence, redefining capitalism) vs. other tokens' trading focus.
00:02:00 - Open Source Origins: Richard Stallman's four freedoms; philosophical motivations in tech history.
00:06:00 - Operating Systems Roots: Carnegie Mellon's Mach kernel influencing Apple/Microsoft; TCP/IP's open source dominance.
00:09:00 - Incentives as Language: Expressing value/motivation; Bittensor's abstraction for problem-solving.
00:15:00 - Bittensor as Neural Network: Neurons (miners), axons/dendrites (validators), weights (incentives); continuous learning.
00:20:00 - Subnet Valuations: FDV vs. market cap; top subnets undervalued (e.g., $400-500M FDV for Shoots/Liam).
00:25:00 - Emission Schedules: Alpha tokens mine faster (63 years at 2x EMA); 95% circulating in 7-8 years.
00:30:00 - DTF Analysis: Discounted TAO flow like DCF; valuing future emissions/cash flows.
00:35:00 - Value Investing: Gap analysis on subnet productivity; top 10 massively undervalued long-term.
02:30:00 - TaoFi Opportunities: Financial layers (collars, options, borrowing) on future tokens; parallels to DeFi.
02:36:00 - Wrap-Up: Mathematical path to Bittensor > Bitcoin; teaser for next episode.

Key Takeaways:

Bittensor's community is philosophically driven (e.g., gnostic wisdom, incentivism) for societal impact, unlike trading-focused token groups—key to long-term success.
Open source freedoms (inspect/modify/distribute) empower users over tech; Bittensor extends this to incentives, abstracting value like a meta-language.
Subnets as neural components: Miners (neurons) produce value, validators (axons/dendrites) route, incentives (weights) optimize—enabling continuous, humanity-scale problem-solving.
Valuations via FDV/DTF: Top subnets undervalued (e.g., billions potential); alpha emission 2-3x faster than TAO, reaching 95% circulation in 7-8 years for rapid price discovery.
Emerging TaoFi: Layer for options/collars on future tokens; Bittensor as "more valuable Bitcoin" via incentive abstraction, with DeFi-like financial innovations ahead.

Resources & Links:

Bittensor Official: bittensor.com
Taostats (Explorer/TAO App): taostats.io

TAO App: tao.app

xAI: x.ai
Follow Hosts: @jaltucher & @josephjacks_ on X

Subscribe for more on Bittensor subnets, AI building, and crypto trends! Leave a review and share your thoughts. #TheTaoPod #Bittensor #DecentralizedAI #TAO