Knowledge for the Creation of Value; Intellectual Property Law and Makiguchi’s Theory of Value

Abstract

It is a common assumption that knowledge possesses value. The value we attribute to knowledge justifies its acquisition and possession. It justifies the enforcement of laws and international agreements. It is not obvious, however, what type of value knowledge possesses or whether its value is economic, instrumental, moral, social or even if it possesses value per se, as an absolute value, or whether its value depends on other factors. Intellectual property law is nonetheless based on value judgments and on assumptions that this paper intends to challenge using the theory of value developed by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi applied, for the first time, to the study of intellectual property law.