[notch656a]

Virtually all electricity has externalized environmental cost. Even electricity used to power a hospital. I agree this externality is immoral, not the hospital or PoW itself.

[vorpalhex]

You don't see any ethical difference between powering a hospital versus thousands of video cards to solve a useless puzzle? None? Not even a little tiny bit?

What about the fact that those video cards use HUNDREDS of times more power than even a relatively busy hospital?

[notch656a]

I see the ethical issue as being externalities from the electricity, not the hospital or puzzle.

[timeon]

But resources are not limitless.

[timeon]

Are you comparing utility of hospital with proof of waste?