« Pitiable | Main | Going Solo »
May 11, 2008
Feathering the Nest for Inventors
Sensible patent reform should focus on feathering the nest for inventors in the United States. There is nothing more important to our long-term prospects within the global economy.
To summarize the posts made this week:
IP is a limited exclusive right to an inventor's time, not a limited exclusive right to a thing. I.e., IP is Not an Asset. Lawyers, business people, and politicians should consider how the patent law will affect the activities of inventors. A plugged R&D pipeline can lead to Stranded R&D and an exodus of inventors from the United States. We would promote the progress of arts and sciences better by building legal and financial institutions that recognized the benefit of a division of labor between inventing ideas and building things. This is What Adam Smith taught the Founding Fathers.
Posted by Michael Martin at May 11, 2008 5:00 AM | The Patent System