From: Dan Fabulich (daniel.fabulich@yale.edu)
Date: Sat Aug 12 2000 - 12:21:24 MDT
For better or for worse, (I think for better, as you may recall),
intellectualy property is obsolete. Ideas and information can only remain
private property by keeping them secret. Once known to another, a
copy of the ideas and information belongs to them; they can do what
they wish with it, even modifying it and distributing it to others.
Is that morally right? It might be. Nothing has been confiscated
from you when I distribute your genetic information except your right
to dictate what I can and can't say to others; it is very doubtful
that you had a right like that to begin with. Even though you might
want it quite badly. Even though I would be required to recompense
you if you had such a right and I violated it.
I happen to think that Nature bestowed rights on us in a very
particular way: by making the world in such a way as to make certain
acts against persons irrational. This theory of rights leaves many of
our rights in a rather contingent state; certain rights you hold today
may not be rational to hold tomorrow.
It is irrational to try to enforce intellectual property rights on a
world containing encryption.
-Dan
-unless you love someone-
-nothing else makes any sense-
e.e. cummings
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:30:24 MST