Intellectual Property, Giants, Apple pie, and Turtles

We often admire the achievements of great people who have made remarkable contributions to science, art, literature, and other fields of human endeavor. And rightfully so. We marvel at their discoveries, inventions, creations, and insights that have changed the world for the better. But we should also remember that these achievements are not isolated events. They are built on the work of those who came before them.

The phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants” captures this idea perfectly. It means that we use the knowledge and wisdom of previous thinkers or experts to reach new heights or make further progress. The phrase is attributed to Isaac Newton, who wrote in a letter to his rival Robert Hooke in 1675: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Newton was acknowledging that his scientific achievements were built upon the work of previous great minds like Descartes and Galileo.

Fun fact: Some scholars believe, however, that Newton was being condescending when he used that phrase. Hooke was, to Newton, a nemesis, a blowhard, a curmudgeon, and downright contemptuous of Isaac Newton. In short, they weren’t exactly friends.

The question of who gets credit for an idea is captured, in all its nuance and controversy when discussing intellectual property, sometimes…