Some people think that scientists should allow others to use their inventions for free. It may be true that financial interests in inventions may distort or limit some scientific research. But it is important to realize that letting scientists have an economic stake in their inventions not only fosters innovation, but also protects intellectual property rights. Indeed, I believe scientists should take ownership and charge for their inventions.

Financial returns from the novel outcomes of science encourages scientists to do research. Charging for the inventions means they can receive extra salary support for their work. Furthermore, it represents the protection of ideas and recognition for their work. Without receiving the full benefits of their inventions, scientists would lack sense of fulfillment, and would focus less on research and development.

I also realize that there’s another dimension: with free access to any invention comes unethical application of technology. It’s tempting to think that if people could use inventions for free, these technologies would have a wider range of applications. But the truth is that some companies may take advantage of these inventions and thus cause some ethical problems. The existence of intelligence property could let an institution prevent some uses of inventions that are deemed unethical.

Although it is widely acknowledged that financial interests can threaten the integrity of science. It is worth noting that scientific research is essentially a form of business, involving investments of money, human resources, facilities and capital. That is to say, eliminating financial interests is not a realistic option. After all, the benefits of charging for inventions far outweigh the drawbacks of having it.

Based on the arguments offered above, it is wise to say that scientists should be allowed to charge for their inventions. And the best approach to dealing with financial interests in research is to implement policies designed to minimize their potential drawbacks.