Infosocialism
Encyclopedia
Infosocialism was originally a philosophy
created by David Pulver, Jon F. Zeigler and Sean Punch
for the Transhuman Space
role-playing game
. However, while it was created as a fiction it has found real-world adherents.
Infosocialism posits that information and ideas are the primary means of production. It holds that copyright
law
s are immoral and that all intellectual property
rights
should be owned by one entity, usually a government
or a private organisation (such as the Free Software Foundation
).
is that information
is very different from material goods in that it can be given away without the former holder losing anything. And since information can be used for the good of humanity no one should be able to claim the rights to an idea. Simply put - if someone figures out a cure for cancer
, every cancer patient has the right to it.
In an ideal world
, every idea would belong to humanity
as a whole. Since this is impossible as it is an infosocialist would argue that ideas should be owned by the government or an overreaching entity that could make sure that anyone got the info they needed. This same entity would also pay the thinkers who come up with the ideas/write the songs/write the theses.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
created by David Pulver, Jon F. Zeigler and Sean Punch
Sean Punch
Sean Punch is a Canadian writer and game designer. He is the author of the fourth edition of the GURPS role-playing game. Before he turned to writing he was a student of particle physics.-History with GURPS:...
for the Transhuman Space
Transhuman Space
Transhuman Space is a role-playing game published by Steve Jackson Games as parts of the "Powered by GURPS" line. Set in the year 2100, humanity has begun to colonize the Solar System...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. However, while it was created as a fiction it has found real-world adherents.
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
s are immoral and that all intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
rights
Rights
Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory...
should be owned by one entity, usually a government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
or a private organisation (such as the Free Software Foundation
Free Software Foundation
The Free Software Foundation is a non-profit corporation founded by Richard Stallman on 4 October 1985 to support the free software movement, a copyleft-based movement which aims to promote the universal freedom to create, distribute and modify computer software...
).
Ideological foundation
The core of the ideologyIdeology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
is that information
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
is very different from material goods in that it can be given away without the former holder losing anything. And since information can be used for the good of humanity no one should be able to claim the rights to an idea. Simply put - if someone figures out a cure for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, every cancer patient has the right to it.
In an ideal world
Ideal World
Ideal World is a shopping channel in the UK whose sister shopping channels include Create and Craft, Ideal Extra and Ideal & More. It is owned by Ideal Shopping Direct Plc. Their sister health and beauty channel, Vitality, closed early in 2008...
, every idea would belong to humanity
Human Race
Human Race refers to the Human species.Human race may also refer to:*The Human Race, 79th episode of YuYu Hakusho* Human Race Theatre Company of Dayton Ohio* Human Race Machine, a computer graphics device...
as a whole. Since this is impossible as it is an infosocialist would argue that ideas should be owned by the government or an overreaching entity that could make sure that anyone got the info they needed. This same entity would also pay the thinkers who come up with the ideas/write the songs/write the theses.
External links
- Thread on SJ Games (makers of Transhuman Space) discussion board - mentions this entry, but also includes comments from one of the makers of the concept.
- Fan-created logo.
- Thread at revolutionaryleft.com - poster asks if "anyone here takes the ideas of infosocialism seriously" - generally gets a positive response.