Natural Rights & Ethics in IPRs

Course Description

Have you ever wondered why the IPR system is in place? Rather, why have IPRs expanded in terms of their coverage, duration of protection, and widespread use throughout time? The system of intellectual property rights has been the subject of so much debate and disagreement ever since it was created some 400 years ago.

The justifications and purpose of the Intellectual Property Rights system will be discussed in this course, drawing on moral and economic thinkers or philosophers from political economy and economic history. You will learn about the Natural Rights and Moral Rationales of the IP system and the “Positive” Theory of Rights and the Social Contract between inventors and the government when investors claim their IP rights.

The focus will be on the rights to assert intellectual property and the inventors’ right to compensation when their IP is exploited by others. You will gain knowledge of the moral and ethical principles that support the system of intellectual property rights and the right to assert ownership over ideas.

In this course, you will also study the global impacts of IPR systems imposed by the west. Here you will study the arguments and IP controversies surrounding the IPR system. They are crucial for the corporate governance of IP assets as well as the designers and users of any Intellectual Property Rights system.