Thursday, April 20, 2017

Trade secrecy versus the progress of science and the useful arts

(Click on image to read about "Guilds".)

Trade secrecy is not only anti-innovation, it is anti-science.

Science requires that the proponent of a new theory/hypothesis lay out all his/her cards on the table so that others can rigorously test it.

If you say that you have a new data encryption scheme that others cannot easily crack with current technology then put it out on the table and let the hackers have a go at it.

If you say that you have a new cancer treatment protocol that has higher efficacy, then put it out on the table and let the clinical trial labs actually field test it.

What Mr. Levy is proposing (in this web positing) is anti-science. It is the anathema of real science for biotech companies to forever hide their secret sauces and not let others test them.

This exactly why patents are necessary.

So that real science can take place on a transparent playing field.

So we can “promote” the progress of science and the useful arts.

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