Re: Where would we be without these important patents?

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 14:44:55 -0000, "Andy F." <never.mind@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

<royls@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:441c40b1.20222611@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In fact, the rate of
progress in scientific discoveries that do _not_ qualify for IP
monopolies has been even greater than the progress in technology.

Any evidence for that claim?

The ratio of patent filings to published scientific papers.

Which only proves that scientists write a lot of papers.

No, it proves your claims are flat false. Technological progress is
driven by scientific progress, which does not get any IP monopoly
privileges. It is not driven by patents, as, for example, the Soviet
Union's successful development of space flight technology before the
USA in the total absence of patents proves.

Unless you imagine that every academic paper represents an important or
useful technical advance, counting the number of papers doesn't really tell
you very much.

Same with the number of patents.

The claim that 'technological progress is driven by scientific progress' is
dubious.

No, it's self-evident and indisputable.

It's often the other way around. Guns, rockets and clocks were all
invented before Newtonian mechanics.

But became far better shortly afterwards.

The steam engine was invented before
the laws of thermodynamics.

But greatly improved after they were understood.

'Computer science' wasn't even thought of until
after they started making computers.

Which they couldn't have done without advances in physics.

The Russian space program, of course, borrowed extensively from Western
technology, including many ideas which were or had been patented.

But would have existed just the same without patents.

And
although the Soviets invested considerable resources in science, their
system was an abysmal failure in terms of economic innovation.

Irrelevant. The Soviets' early successes in space just flat-out prove
you wrong.

-- Roy L
.

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