<p>The goal of mining is essentially to (i) create new coins out of thin-air and (ii) to secure the network from double-spending attacks.</p>

<p>So no, the act of mining does not create new transactions to be mined, and it does not create work for itself. It validates transactions and keeps the nodes of the network on the same state.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-14T14:34:37.287Z
You're playing with words. Here I'm describing the end-goal of mining, its purpose. Which is to create coins out of thin air and to secure the network. The initial, and still ongoing, distribution of coins wouldn't happen without mining.
Luca Matteis
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-14T15:56:06.633Z
Oh come on... "mining does" or "The goal of mining" are effectively the same thing. Again, you're playing with words. I just edited it to make it clearer what I meant. The meaning of my message doesn't change.
Luca Matteis
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-14T16:23:35.367Z
"the distribution, initial to final, could've all be done in one swoop with a premine" sure but that's not how Bitcoin does it! And this is a question about Bitcoin.
Luca Matteis
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T13:55:36.160Z
But the question was about creating "new transactions to be mined". Not whether mining created new transactions.
Luca Matteis
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-14T13:09:50.183Z
2014-05-14T14:14:46.880Z
2014-05-14T14:14:46.880Z
Luca Matteis
<p>Conceptually, even if the network doesn't have any "real" transactions, the very act of mining creates new transactions to be mined. Self fulfilling prophecy. </p>

<p>So, what is the real purpose of mining if the network is virtually dead? I suppose at that point the currency would be worth nothing and no one <em>would</em> mine it.</p>

<p>This is a bit of a philosophical question :-)</p>

<p>Likewise, is this similar to how pre-mining works? Where the creators mine the coin ahead of it's release?</p>

<mining-reward><mining-theory><empty-blocks>
Miners Create Their Own Work?
a432511
# Miners Create Their Own Work?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-14)

Conceptually, even if the network doesn't have any "real" transactions, the very act of mining creates new transactions to be mined. Self fulfilling prophecy.

So, what is the real purpose of mining if the network is virtually dead? I suppose at that point the currency would be worth nothing and no one *would* mine it.

This is a bit of a philosophical question :-)

Likewise, is this similar to how pre-mining works? Where the creators mine the coin ahead of it's release?

**Tags:** mining-reward, mining-theory, empty-blocks


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-05-14. Score: 3

The goal of mining is essentially to (i) create new coins out of thin-air and (ii) to secure the network from double-spending attacks.

So no, the act of mining does not create new transactions to be mined, and it does not create work for itself. It validates transactions and keeps the nodes of the network on the same state.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You're playing with words. Here I'm describing the end-goal of mining, its purpose. Which is to create coins out of thin air and to secure the network. The initial, and still ongoing, distribution of coins wouldn't happen without mining.  
> **username_1**: Oh come on... "mining does" or "The goal of mining" are effectively the same thing. Again, you're playing with words. I just edited it to make it clearer what I meant. The meaning of my message doesn't change.  
> **username_1**: "the distribution, initial to final, could've all be done in one swoop with a premine" sure but that's not how Bitcoin does it! And this is a question about Bitcoin.  
> **username_1**: But the question was about creating "new transactions to be mined". Not whether mining created new transactions.  

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