[pp.int.general] purpose of manifesto

[Reinier Bakels]

> Agree with you in that the usage of /natural/ (and/or the related 
> political rhetoric) in that context is pure rhetoric of traditional 
> politicians to trick the citizens.
> A beautiful reason to not using it.

But don't forget it is a *very* old idea, and pretty persistent.

To give you an example: once I read in a scientific publication that the 
idea of a natural right in patent law was generally abandoned in 1830 by 
lawyers. But then I read that rights owners actvists increasingly promote 
the idea of a natural right in patent law, in recent times.

Rather than to simply reject the idea of a natural right, it may be more 
helpful to emphasise the other side: "do you really believe in such rights, 
if they hurt cultural diversity and innovation?"

The actions of European competition commisioner Neelie Kroes against 
Microsoft because of patent abusle (etc.) raise questions like: "are patents 
no longer safe"?

reinier