Robin Hanson wrote:
> >Are you saying that in addition to this effect there is another effect,
> >namely that property rights prevent investors from engaging in a race
> >to first in which they burn up excess returns?
>
> Yes, but the degree of property rights required to have this effect
> is very strong, and unlikely to be seen anytime soon.
What degree would have that effect? For instance, in the Batman
example, what property rights could prevent some competitor from
inventing a successful cartoon? Do you require that the right to make
cartoons is patentable? What about a race to invent new forms of
entertainment? Would it be possible to patent the right to entertain?
Where does the regress end?
_____________________________________________________
Nick Bostrom
Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
London School of Economics
n.bostrom@lse.ac.uk
http://www.hedweb.com/nickb
Received on Wed Apr 22 21:45:25 1998
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