Social Norms & Intellectual Property

Answer choices

1. A

   Unknown Comparison: more frequent1% picked this

   Intellectual property violations are more frequent among comedians than

   We can't compare the relative frequency of IP violations. Each passage existed in its own world and never quantified what percentage of workers within the industry were affected.

   1%
2. B

   Unknown Comparison: more elaborate8% picked this

   A more elaborate system of social norms has developed among chefs

   We can't compare the complexity of each system of norms. The fact that the author of passage B delved more into enumerating more specific norms than did the author of passage A doesn't give us strong evidence that comedy has a less elaborate system of norms.

   8%
3. C

   Opposite, if anything2% picked this

   Chefs enjoy more significant legal protections of their intellectual property than

   The beginning of passage B says that "recipes are not a form of innovation that is effectively covered by current intellectual property laws. They're rarely patentable and ingredient combos can't be copyrighted". Meanwhile, the beginning of passage A explains that "Copyright is the most relevant body of law; formally, it applies to jokes and comedic routines". So the fact that comedians can use copyright law to protect their jokes / routines (combinations of jokes), whereas chefs can't use copyright for combos of ingredients makes it very hard to support this answer. It almost sounds more like comedians potentially have more significant legal protections of their IP.

   2%
4. D

   Too Strong/Specific2% picked this

   Most comedians and chefs are satisfied with current intellectual

   Too Strong/Specific: most Out of Scope: satisfied with current Neither passage generalizes about whether more than 50% of chefs / comedians are "satisfied" with current IP laws. The fact that a system of social norms has filled in the vacuum caused by a lack of realistic IP law protection suggests that if anything most comedians and chefs do not find current IP laws a satisfactory way of protecting their material.

   2%
5. E

   Correct87% picked this

   Comedians and chefs both derive some professional benefit from observing the social norms

   Why this is right

   The gist of each passage was that because comedians and chefs can't realistically protect their IP with IP law, a system of norms has developed within each industry to protect their IP. As the end of Passage A explains, "these norms are not merely hortatory (suggestive of proper behaviors, but non-binding). They are enforced with sanctions". By observing social norms as a comedian, you avoid getting badmouthed and blacklisted, which benefits you. Also, you contribute to the legitimacy of the system of norms, which means it will also be there to protect your jokes from being stolen. Similarly, chefs observe three implicit social norms and "together these norms function in a manner quite similar to law-based IP systems". Passage B doesn't explicitly mention punishments one would face if they broke any of these norms, but in both passages the basic idea is that comedians and chefs can invest the time it takes to develop IP (like jokes or recipes), with the confidence that their ownership of that IP will be protected by a system of rules. So for the chefs passage, we're getting "benefit" from a common sense application of The Golden Rule ... if you observe the social norms and don't steal other chefs' recipes, then you will also be extended that IP protection by the same system.

   Skill tested: Inference · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

   87%