When Google announced their plan to digitize all the books from all the libraries it was—despite few exceptions—hailed as an example of how technology could advance human knowledge. Imagine, many said, all the knowledge in one place. Imagine, searching for something and have the result truly be a thorough search. But then the idea came to the implementation stage and criticism began. Some libraries did not want to participate. Some authors felt they might be cheated. Newspapers and publishing companies began to object and lawsuits were filed.
There seem to be a thread running through the objections, the idea of property, the idea that knowledge, via the book it is part of, belongs to someone, a few, or an entity rather than humanity. Corollary to the idea of property is that of profit, and there’s the rub, no one wants to loose money. Anything published before 1923 poses no problem, it is in the public domain. Anything published since, however, is subject to all sorts of copyrights law which dictate who is legally entitled to the profits. While profits have their uses for without money survival for people or legal entities is not possible, they can also create obstacles. Because libraries have been known to burn or be flooded, and old books can crumble or somehow disappear, digitizing books may acquire a new importance. Which all raises a question, what kind of profits would need to be sacrificed and by whom, in order to ensure the sum of human knowledge is safeguarded?
October 2009
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Profits, Google and Sacrifice
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Learning From a Rat
If I had read that a scientist had been given a grant to study the habitats of mole rats, or their reproductive habits, or their longevity, I would have wondered at the wisdom of such a grant. I would have been very likely to criticize the grant giver for having too a narrow vision or for holding on to a faulty definition of good science or who knows what else. And now I read that the longevity of the mole rat and the fact that unlike other rodents it does not get cancer, could be of use to fighting the disease or better understand health and aging. I have to concede to prejudices I wouldn’t have admitted to. Without the many scientists who studied the habits of mole rats we wouldn’t even be in a position to hope they may teach us something wonderful about cancer.
As I recall there’s an Aesop’s fable about learning from someone smaller than oneself. -
Reaction To Gratitude
For years now when people ask how I am, I answer, “grateful.” For years I have received a number of what I call cold shoulder responses. Today was no different. I was at the cleaners and the young woman at the counter asked rather automatically as she readied to take my clothes, “How are you today?” As usual, I said, “Grateful.” She went on asking for my name as if I had said nothing. Her face was impassive. Was she that concentrated on her work? It occurred to me maybe she felt she had nothing to be grateful about. Many do, without verbalizing it. Perhaps she was indignant thinking how dare she come in here grateful, she’s not the one who has to toil with dirty clothes for little pay. Then again she might have been tired, not paying attention the way she glossed over details which kept her from coping. I don’t know why she gave my “grateful” the cold shoulder but I walked away feeling she needed someone like me reminding her that gratitude is a powerful sentiment.