It does not matter whether it's just some math or signals on a computer - torrenting CP is just "doing some math" on your computer, but it is similarly banned.
The commentator then called a critique of that lens a "strawman", despite CP and many other computations (see other comments in the thread) already being illegal.
Should we ban pen and paper problem solving? Who is to decide which numbers and operators are public good? Is math in its entirety blasphemous?
Although comparing pen and paper calculations with the greedy wasteful world of bitcoin mining is ridiculous, I think it’s less ridiculous then associating anything you don’t agree with drugs or any other boogieman argument.
Law and ethics are not as clear cut as you are trying to portray. Nature and ecology are precious but so are Personal freedoms. They were not given to society, they were earned with blood and tears and they’re equally precious.
Unless this is some suggestion that banning CP is a slippery slope as well, there's clear precedent for banning certain things that computers can do which doesn't cause the entirety of mathematics to become heretical.
(And no, I don't like this)
Isn't that true for all computing?