10.9. Lesson 98: New Wholes from Old Parts
The electric lighting system that Edison developed, including the lamp, generator, and means of distribution, necessarily drew on many existing devices for models and inspiration. This presented potential patent problems, which Edison addressed by hiring an expert, Francis Upton, to research all relevant British and American patents potentially bearing on the Edison system. Upton's conclusion was telling: "I feel sure that the total you have is new, no matter if parts have been used before."
NOTE
Invention and innovation are daunting to the point of creative paralysis if one is convinced that every aspect of a complex system must be invented anew. Genuine originality relies more on the innovative manipulation ...
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