Agricultural-Biological-Technology is the future, and a company developing a new "gene" that would make food more nutritious would have a valuable...

Agricultural-Biological-Technology is the future, and a company developing a new "gene" that would make food more nutritious would have a valuable asset if no other company could use their discovery. Make an argument as to why businesses that develop modified organisms should be able to preserve their property rights by patenting such organisms.

Your argument might include the purpose of a patent being designed to protect the payoffs from investments in this sort of research and development. Then, make a counterargument as to why such organisms should not be allowed a patent. While you should present both sides, you should clearly choose a position for or against and attempt to persuade the reader to adopt your position.

Arguments against might be found on websites like http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en and http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org. Also, be sure to read the United States Supreme Court decision of Diamond v. Chakrabarty.

• state legitimate arguments in favor of the position
• state legitimate counterarguments against the position
• persuade the reader to take a position use acceptable sources (including laws, legal theories, academic articles, etc.) to support the arguments, particularly the writer's position.