Patents and Scientific Research

It is argued that patents encourage scientific development, benefiting society by creating useful products and services that improve the quality of life. However, by granting exclusive rights of exploitation, patents create situations in which they interfere with the exercise of the freedom of scientific research. This work examines five scenarios where this problem can be seen and the utilitarian function of patents is questioned. Firstly, the effects of research funding in the definition of the lines and research objectives are observed. Secondly, the anticommons is studied, as it is a situation where excessive fragmentation of ownership in scientific knowledge may prevent its use. Thirdly, broad patents and their implications are examined. Fourthly, the deterrent power of patent litigation, which creates an unexpected business model, is analyzed. Fifthly, secrecy is looked upon, as it is encouraged by the logic in which the patent system works.

Cultural and Collective Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Venezuela

In this chapter, the authors attempt to demonstrate that respect for cultural identity of all human groups should be seen as a fundamental right. Ignoring Collective rights of indigenous peoples, those related to their cultural traditions, generally causes the lack of respect. Thus, knowledge of the cultural manifestations and their origin and meaning (as part of the history of the territories they inhabit) can conquer this respect on a par with its defense. This obviously with comprehensive training aimed to sensitize the general population in the positive assessment it deserves it different. The actions of nation-states governments with strong indigenous population has been characterized, until recently, by a remarkable disregard for indigenous cultures, having as a result the result of which such attitude, today from the non - indigenous perspective indigenous cultural manifestations are reduced to colorful folklore shows, when not seen as backward and primitive traditions. This chapter delves deeply into the legal framework for the protection of collective and cultural rights of indigenous peoples. The authors also attempt to show the weaknesses of the law and how states should act to strengthen them. Proposed article does emphasis on indigenous traditional knowledge and not in a wider debate on the topic of knowledge in general.

Sleight of Hand or Global Problem

The neutral nature of Internet has allowed its consolidation as a crucial tool in the dissemination of knowledge and access to culture. Due the creation of new business models of Internet access, a debate about the need of keeping a neutral Internet has emerged, leading to a sudden regulatory process that seems to emerge from a process of public consensus. However, participation in this debate requires knowledge in telecommunications, economics, and law, leaving participation to expert actors. In public consultations on Net Neutrality and in the resulting legal documents, three fundamental problems related to net neutrality are studied. Firstly, what constitutes a neutral, open and free Internet? Secondly, what is the effect of traffic management and what are the consequences of providing differentiated services? Finally, can transparency be an efficient tool to curb potential violations of net neutrality? This article presents the historical background that led to this debate and how its main points have been treated primarily in USA and Europe.

Political Framework of the Production and Use of Seeds in Venezuela

Political and legal developments addressed to protect traditional knowledge are the result of huge efforts made by different actors at international and at national level. Nevertheless, traditional knowledge is broadly understood as freely accessible. Intellectual property norms are highly developed and strongly protect some knowledge products that are excluded of public domain, such as new varieties of plants. In light of this situation, political and legal tensions emerge in different countries, especially when it has an impact on areas highly profitable for some industries. This is the case of multinational agricultural companies that act globally by using technologies protected by intellectual property rights, threating traditional expressions applied for the use and conservation of seeds by local communities in different countries. In Venezuela, such tensions are present in the 2002 Law about Seeds, Animal Material and Supplies for Biological Reproduction, which is analyzed in this chapter.

The Political Logic of Free, Libre, Open Source Software

Information technology development is a must for societies in the whole world and, particularly, in the so-called third world. However, which particular research goal and which mode of research are suitable for that development are questions that need careful consideration and reasoning. In this chapter, we try to explore those reasons by visiting the logic in Free, Libre, Open Source Software, FLOSS, as a general concept. It is a political logic, because it clearly interferes and is interfered by dominant economical policies with respect to issues such as knowledge diffusion, copyrights and intellectual property. In the chapter, we explore available evidence over which principles are actually held and how that is done. Our highest goal, however, is to show that information technologies are best understood in the wider context of socio-political games and any suggestion of the opposite is itself a move in some of those games.

Open Modelling for Simulators

This chapter motivates and discusses the process of making a simulation model available for others to freely inspect and use. Firstly, it outlines the three reasons why this is necessary: democratic right, scientific scrutiny, and public value extraction. Then it describes the basic steps for doing this, including: making code comprehensible, documentation and licensing. It then describes some further things one might do when releasing a complex model to help ensure it is understood and re-used appropriately. It briefly looks as some tools and approaches to help in all this, and ends with a discussion about the change in underlying “modelling culture” that is needed.

Social Media and Free Knowledge

Mass media (e.g., TV) and social media (e.g., Facebook) have a large utilization nowadays; they are becoming an integral part of our life. This chapter describes the psychological effects of media bias and manipulation, along its impact on public opinion by using “agenda setting” and “prototypes/framing”. It shows how media can artificially create feelings and emotions. It will also explore the relationships between free knowledge and media. Free knowledge has a strong potential to prevent media manipulation, and for people emancipation from media control. The paper suggests using media in a more humanistic way, as a space to create knowledge, where social interaction influences knowledge. We talk of communities where people regularly share and create knowledge. The media do not replace existing processes of building knowledge; rather they provide an additional dynamic environment, which must meet certain criteria for what the social knowledge will be emancipator, and not manipulative.

Towards a Nationally Pertinent System of Knowledge, Science, and Technology

This chapter describes an autochthonous system of Knowledge, Science, and Technology (KST): its actors, policies, strategies, and instruments. It is proposed to create it via a continuous reflection-action process. Such a system is aimed at promoting an autonomous nation, and will strongly rest on culturally free KST, beyond its actual conception (as universally valid, and neutral) in the Western Society. We argue that since the culture, problems and needs of the western nations are different from those of the non-western nations, such as Latinamerica, Africa or the Muslim World, the use of western KST in non-western societies without an appropriate reflection about national and local pertinence, generates dependence on KST that has very limited local societal benefits, and prevents developing an autonomous and pertinent KST system – non-western societies can only superficially capture the creations of the western society. To overcome this, we suggest that non-western nations must generate an autochthonous KST system.

The State of Technology in Venezuela in the Context of Production Chains

This chapter develops a discursive context called “the sawmill metaphor” that interprets the technology as a system of timber production that runs through a river. Trees are cut upstream and transported by the river towards a sawmill in the midstream. The sawmill then transforms trees into logs that are sent down river towards other factories that produce finished products downstream. Using this metaphor a link between technology and production is identified as well as the vital importance that the interlinking networks has on production. This context allows us to propose a diagnosis of the state of technology on Venezuela in 2014, a country which regardless of plans of technological acquisition sets forth since 2003 with sizable investments, far from increase technological sovereignty has lost it. Finally, taking as a basis the Venezuelan case, we present a set of general guidelines to consider in a plan of technological acquisition.

A New Approach to Knowledge Sharing

A Multifactory is a new concept of productive environment. This chapter presents what Multifactories are, their constitutive elements and how these interact. In this chapter will be also presented the governance system, that is largely self-generated, and the way knowledge is shared and how this brings to innovative practices in exchanging skills and professional services. The chapter will also present the way the Multifactory Model was developed, from the direct observation of different real cases within Europe to the on-field test of the model. The chapter also suggests how Multifactories can be a possible way to face the needs for job creation and an environment where to experiment innovative ways to share knowledge.