Computer architectures for protection of personal informatic property: Putting pirates, pigs and rapists in perspective

Authors

  • Steve Mann

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v5i7.774

Abstract

Propertarian philosophy has so far focused on protecting that which we produce for others, perhaps for a price. It has failed to protect that which we may have no intention to give to others at any price. The former is well known as Intellectual Property (IP), while the latter is something I call Humanistic Property (HP). In the Goffman sense, IP is that which we "give" throught intentional creative action (e.g. the fruit of our labour), while HP is that which we "give off" (our "heart and soul") simply by being human. Analogous to the visceral, and obviously exaggerated metaphor of the Pirate (one who takes that which is meant to be given but merely denies profit), I put forth a metaphor for what I argue to be those committing a far greater transgression: Pigs, being those who steal HP. Furthermore, I include a third class, which I call Rapists, as being those who inseminate us with unwated informatic material. I argue that it is mainly the Pigs and Rapists we should be focusing our technical and leglislative efforts at controlling, rather than the Pirates.

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Published

2000-07-03

How to Cite

Mann, S. (2000). Computer architectures for protection of personal informatic property: Putting pirates, pigs and rapists in perspective. First Monday, 5(7). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v5i7.774

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Articles