kowalskil writes:
I suggest the following definition: "a scientist is a person who is not only preoccupied with physical matters but is also trustworthy." By "trustworthy" I mean "does not hide anything."
This seems to be a non-standard, and self-serving definition of the word trustworthy. Unless the person in question has betrayed an obligation to reveal something, I don't think we should call that person untrustworthy simply because he does not tell you what you want to know on the schedule you expect.
kowalskil writes:
Secrecy is OK, but only up to the time at which the invention is publicly announced.
I have a different idea about this. In the interest of full disclosure, let me admit to being a patent attorney.
At the time of the announcement, it is quite possible that the inventor did not have a fully proven invention to share. If the inventor had any intention of obtaining a patent on his invention, he would not reveal anything until he knew enough to actually practice the invention and to describe his invention and how to practice it in a patent application. Even at this point there may be details that the inventor must protect.
I would suggest being careful when throwing about accusations of untrustworthiness, lack of ethics, and unfitness for their occupation. In the US at least, those types of comments, border on being defamatory when they are not accurate.
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