“Monopolies are not justified by theory; they should be permitted only when justified by facts. If there is no solid basis for extending a certain monopoly protection, then we should not extend that protection. This does not mean that every copyright must prove its value initially. That would be a far too cumbersome system of control. But it does mean that every system or category of copyright or patent should prove its worth. Before the monopoly should be permitted, there must be reason to believe it will do some good -- for society, and not just for monopoly holders.” IfsShouldBelieveMeanDoeReasonFactsWould BeCertainValuesTheoryProveBasesProtectionCategoriesJustifiedMonopolyProve ItPatentsExtendingCopyright Author:Lawrence Lessig
“I became a little alarmed at the number of my readers who took the meme more positively as a theory of human culture in its own right - either to criticize it (unfairly, given my original modest intention) or to carry it far beyond the limits of what I then thought justified. This was why I may have seemed to backtrack.” HumansMayLittlesCultureGivenNumbersAtheismTheoryReaderLimitsOriginalsIntentionPositive AtheismCriticizeModestJustifiedPositivelyMemes Book:A Devil's Chaplain Source: A Devil's Chaplain
“What remains constant for me, during the last 15 years, has been the conviction that the cold war was a calamity for the entire world, and that it can be justified by no consideration of theory, nor by any supposed national interest.” WorldYearsHas BeensWarLastsInterestTheoryColdRemainsConstantConvictionConsiderationCold WarJustifiedCalamityNational Interests Author:Earl Browder
“While control is needed, and perfectly warranted, our bias should be clear up front: Monopolies are not justified by theory; they should be permitted only when justified by facts. If there is no solid basis for extending a certain monopoly protection, then we should not extend that protection.” IfsShouldFactsCertainClearFrontsTheoryNeededBasesProtectionBiasJustifiedMonopolyExtending Author:Lawrence Lessig
“99% of our uses of animals, including our numerically most significant use of them for food, do not involve any sort of necessity or any real conflict between human and nonhuman interests. If animals matter morally at all, then, even without accepting a theory of animal rights, those uses of animals cannot be morally justified.” IfsHumansRealMatterUseInterestAnimalAcceptingRightsTheoryConflictIncludingSignificantAnimal RightsJustified Author:Gary L. Francione