[almostbusto]

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meaning you are reducing the incentive for discovering ideas below its optimal level.


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How do you judge what level is optimal?

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ideally you want to maximize the net benefits resulting from the IP framework. furthermore, you want to make sure the resulting framework is philosophically consistent with some ideal. but that is almost never a problem.


Also, regarding keeping the cure secret. you can't. scientist can reverse engineer just about anything, though at some cost. so you might be saved somewhat if the cost of reverse engineering is very high. of course going in you have no idea what that cost will be since you haven't even invented the compound yet. so that doesn't solve the incentive problem.