Repository landing page
Intellectual Property and the Prisoner’s Dilemma: A Game Theory Justification of Copyrights, Patents, and Trade Secrets
Abstract
In this article, I will offer an argument for the protection of intellectual property based on individual self-interest and prudence. In large part, this argument will parallel considerations that arise in a prisoner’s dilemma game. In brief, allowing content to be unprotected in terms of free access leads to a sub-optimal outcome where creation and innovation are suppressed. Adopting the institutions of copyright, patent, and trade secret is one way to avoid these sub-optimal results- article
- Game theory
- prisoner\u27s dilemma
- copyrights
- patents
- trade secrets
- intellectual property
- content creation
- optimal
- iterated
- multiplayer
- multi-player
- philosophy
- payoff
- escrow
- trust
- John Locke
- Lockean theory
- tragedy
- commons
- Machlup
- Boldrin
- Levine
- Palmer
- Stallman
- Venice
- guild
- cost
- economics
- exclusive
- rights
- international union
- Dickens
- Twain
- TRIPS
- Hardin
- Intellectual Property Law
- Law and Economics
- Law and Philosophy