Universities are the only institutions that have an obligation to guarantee intellectual freedom. Most inventions by university faculty members would be profitable if patented. Publication of reports on research is the only practical way to disseminate information concerning new discoveries. Universities that have a motive to suppress information concerning discoveries by their faculty members will occasionally act on that motive.
A university should not be entitled to patent the inventions of its faculty members. Universities, as guarantors of intellectual freedom, should encourage the free flow of ideas and the general dissemination of knowledge. Yet a university that retains the right to patent the inventions of its faculty members has a motive to suppress information about a potentially valuable discovery until the patent for it has been secured. Clearly, suppressing information concerning such discoveries is incompatible with the university' s obligation to promote the free flow of ideas.
Which one of the following is an assumption that the argument makes?