2013/1/11 Martin Meiss <[email protected]>
> Hi, Jon, > Without regard to permaculture or any other particular field, what > do you mean by "stealing" an idea? Once research is published, the ideas > belong to everyone. Patenting and copyrighting protect certain uses of > certain types of idea, but an idea itself can't be owned by any one > person. Did Plato own the ideal forms? Did Franklin own the fact that > lightning is electricity? > > Of course, respect and professional standards in some cases require > that those who use an idea give credit to the originator, but that doesn't > imply ownership. Are you talking about commercial exploitation of ideas > without paying royalties to patent or copyright holders? > > Back to permaculture: how does hosting a seminar teaching principles > developed by farmers, ecologists, or other thinkers and experimenters, > constitute theft? If I teach someone French and charge for the lessons, > who am I robbing? Yes, the tuition fee benefits me, the new knowledge > benefits the student, and France and the French language are no worse off. > Is this not a parallel to what the permaculture promoters are doing? > > I am interested in your views on this subject. Could you provide > some examples that illustrate your points? > > Martin M. Meiss > > > 2013/1/11 jon mccloskey <[email protected]> > >> This was sent earlier, but did not get posted: >> >> Several of these response appear to be spoken from the limited >> perspective of people in an elite position (especially the one that puts >> down farmers). FYI, most people do not have time to read and research such >> things because they are too busy working and supporting their families. >> Also, they would most likely not be aware that ideas published on .net >> sites (like the ones provided) are not peer-reviewed nor are certain books >> published with an agenda (there is an entire industry based on it). >> >> Also, research is paid for by the public and the results should be used >> to benefit that same public (i.e., it is not ok for people to steal these >> ideas so a few can make money). Just because people do steal other peoples >> work and ideas does not make it right (even if it is legal, not all laws >> are just). These little eco-exploitation niches like permaculture are doing >> exactly that...they are benefiting themselves, not the public...and they >> are doing so under false pretenses. >> >> Some of you have misread my arguement...I said LEED as well as wildlife >> preserves... >> >> I used these all (LEED, permaculture, wildlife reserves, etc.) as >> examples that have a common framework and have been used for generations to >> capitalize on people's good nature. The things they have in common are >> that they all use ideas stolen from others, claim to provide certain >> benefits that are not backed up by evidence, are out of reach for most >> people, and in many cases actually disenfranchise people. >> >> FYI, I have worked and published about land issues in Africa and the >> exploitation there is even worse... >> >> >> Jon McCloskey, Ph.D. >> >> > > >
