Vivian Weil

In recent years, scientific discoveries and new technologies - as well as new, intricate relationships among academic researchers, government, and private industry - have begun to pose a whole range of novel problems in intellectual property rights. Should computer software be patented or copyrighted? How can ownership of plant varieties, genetically engineered organisms, and their products be protected? Should body parts and cell lines derived from them be patented? What is the impact of changes in intellectual property rights on the process of scientific research and development? The fifteen essays in this volume provide a solid foundation for any discussion of these issues. They survey the current intellectual property system in the U.S., describe several important historical precedents, explore ongoing controversies in computer science and biotechnology, and offer critiques of leading moral and legal theories about ownership of knowledge. This book is invaluable for anyone who has to deal with questions of intellectual property in theory or in everyday practice.