ABOLISH THE COPYRIGHT LAW? -- NO

Ian Goddard (igoddard@erols.com)
Mon, 02 Sep 1996 11:51:16 -0400


> Should we abolish the copyright law?

IAN: All rights are theories. We adopt and enforce various rights because
they serve to promote human progress. Just as physical property rights
encourage the development of physical properties resulting in societies
rise from pre-capitalist conditions, in the same fashion intellectual
property rights serve to encourage development in ideas and images,
which are vital features of human progress.

Therefore, copyright protections should be encouraged.

If we say that we should have no copyright law because we should have
no laws, i.e., no rules, then we have made a rule; ergo, that line of
reasoning falls apart. There are laws and rules. One of them is that
people will not invest in the creation of ideas, images and technology
without a guarantee that they will be rewarded by the protection of
their inventions / investments. That is a spontaneous law of human
action that we need to honor by copyright protections.

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IAN GODDARD <igoddard@erols.com> FREEDOM: to have it, give it.
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