Many oil companies hold patents to technology which would lead to alternative energy, and refuse to sell the rights to or use or develop this technology because it would cut into their oil profits. In addition they are hoarding it up for when the oil is gone, or when we finally wise up and ban its use in everyday civilian transportation. Is this unconstitutional?
Congress has the power: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries
These people are using these exclusive rights, but not for the promotion of progress, but to impede it. Illegal?
2006-09-01 10:30:05 · 3 answers · asked by Aleksandr 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I don't think it is illegal, But it damn well should be.
2006-09-01 10:35:38 · answer #1 · answered by chubbiguy40 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All ideas inventions and songs books etc. were once consiered in the public domain once published. Anyone could use them and there was a huge amount of progress sometimes called the industrial revolution, just because anyone could use them. Some time just prior to WWI lobbyists got the world governents to take this public domain property and give it some years of exclusive use so that they (the creators)had time to profit before idea became public domain. Congress mostly at the urging of the music industry has extended and extended these copyrights far beyond anything ever contemplated by original congress. The result is that music for example by the Beatles has a life expectancy in copyright for decades. This has served as a tremedous brake on the economies of the world, but don't mess with Hollywood or the Calfornia Democrats.
2006-09-01 18:10:57 · answer #2 · answered by frankie59 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not illegal, by definition, because it is done in conformance with established laws.
The patent system is designed to offer protection for companies that develop new products and systems, as a way to encourage them to invest in research. That is why it relates to "progress".
Granted, the patent system is also frequently abused. Which is a reason to change the existing laws if they are not working.
2006-09-01 18:46:18 · answer #3 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋