From: Glenn Bradford (gmbradford19@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Aug 15 2004 - 03:31:16 BST
MFers,
> How does the MoQ evaluate the idea of
> "intellectual property"?
Rick's too thorough preface to his topic-question has
somewhat spoilt this month's discussion! And now he's
chastising us for not contributing :)
To reiterate what he said, a high quality intellectual
idea needs to be made freely available so that its
intrinsic value is maximised across society, yet the
incentive for invention is reduced if the inventor is
not handsomely rewarded. Our system of patent law
attempts to strike a balance between the two, whereby
an inventor is said to own his idea for awhile during
which time other parties are required to license it
from him, and after which the idea is set free to the
public at large.
From the perspective of the MOQ, the system is said to
be immoral in the short term, when the dissemination
of the idea is hampered by the disincentive to pay
licensing fees in the interest of concentrating
wealth. Here DQ (the freedom the idea deserves) and an
intellectual pattern (the idea itself), are
prostituted by a social pattern (wealth). After the
patent expires, the idea is free (on more than one
level), is no longer considered property, and is
moral. Of course, this freedom has the proviso that
the idea will not harm society.
On this basis I think the MOQ would argue that patent
and copywrite laws and the notion of 'intellectual
property' are a form of evil and should be abolished.
Whether this is a necessary evil or not is another
issue and since such complications and moral
complexities are not generally explored in Pirsig's
writing, I will settle with this as the answer the MOQ
would give.
Glenn
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