Give Grave to Design, Article Review Example

After allegedly stealing Apple concepts and ideas, Samsung was made to pay $1 billion in restorative funds to Apple. In the case of Apple vs. Samsung, the idea comes to light that intellectual property is valued, and thus begets questions about ethical behavior in design. This idea is difficult to grasp as it functions in the abstract. This paper will examine design value in society, the moral rights of inventors, and the current questions about morality dealing with this issue. The argument is that disregard for someone else’s intellectual property disregards, in effect, ethics.

Abstract ideas, or inventions, are legally protected through the patent office. There are copyright laws in place of such patents as well. These patents, once included into the database, and thereby, and forthwith protected by property laws. This means that a more cognizant awareness of moral attitudes in relation to abstract ideas and innovations, comes to the forefront of any argument about such concepts and the legality associated with stealing intellectual property.

Abstract ideas should be protected. In the article Values-led participatory design, Sejer, Kim and Tuck W, the authors suggest that designers should consider ethical questions (their underlying value) in the design process. This, therefore, creates a value on beauty. According to John Harrison, “it is difficult to say whether he believes [the love of virtue and wisdom] is more exquisitely beautiful because it is more moral, or more moral because it is more exquisitely beautiful” (109). The harmony of aesthetic and moral comprehension brings true pleasure.

Morality, as well as ethics and the copyright office, allows a preservation of aesthetics. As Apple created a design in which beauty was apparent, their design was warped by Samsung, and so they were compensated for the ruin of their design. In the framework of design morality, it should be argued that it’s unethical to steal someone else’s idea because in essence what is being stolen, is their idea of beauty.