Quote from: rebuilder on May 29, 2014, 05:09:51 PM

Quote from: JorgeStolfi on May 29, 2014, 05:04:10 PM

My preferences are not important. The point is that a system that does not allow the forcible return of stolen property will not be acceptable to society, except for thieves and other criminals. In the end, it will be rejected even by the libertarians who now think that irreversibility is a good thing.

Bitcoin allows the forcible return of stolen property just the same as any form of tangible property does. You find the person in possession of, or with knowledge of how to obtain, the property in question and you persuade or coerce them into handing the property over. Bitcoin simply doesn't contain a back door for anyone claiming authority to alter ownership of the property the public ledger keeps track of.

Often, when it comes to financial issues, the "property" is never recovered from the thief. It is eaten as a cost either by the merchant, the processor or a third-party insurer.

If you want reversibility, escrow will become a thing. Of course, at some point, the escrow completes and reversal is no longer possible. Which is a great thing if you have legitimately received funds and don't want to be ripped off (reverseing charges/bouncing checks/whatever being one of the classic scams out there)

It just requires a different way of looking at things which, admittedly, is beyond some (certain) people.