Alex WellersteinVerified account

Any idea why this law, barring patents on nuclear weapons technology, was passed? https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/2181 …

@SteveBellovin My first guess is that patents are PUBLIC, and “we” didn’t want to make the technology public.

@Berry_k There's a separate process for putting a secrecy order on a patent, and for delaying is issuance and hence publication.

@SteveBellovin @Berry_k I'm guessing A. hey didn't want to set up a whole nother secret patent court system. and 1/2

@SteveBellovin @Berry_k B. With the USG as the main buyer they didn't see any benefit from granting monopolies on tech.

@marshray @SteveBellovin @Berry_k Ironic since Leo Szilard held a patent on chain reactions and (along with Fermi) on neutron reactors

@randomoracle @SteveBellovin @marshray @Berry_k Not ironic — they passed it to thwart private ownership (and control) by people like Szilard

@wellerstein @randomoracle @marshray @Berry_k And as I recall, Szilard did indeed attempt to use his patent to gain a policy voice.