These twin principles, debated in head-scratching terms by professional economists, essentially explain why Intel maintains a lead in high-performance chips, why Apple sustains a large lead in music players and why Google's search engine remains a crowd pleaser.
A parallel "People's Summit" on 15-23 June will present a critical approach to the official conference's principles, debates and solutions.
However, should the prime minister continue to refuse to participate in a head to head televised debate, the first minister will indeed agree in principle to debate with Alistair Darling or another no campaign nominee, in the terms set out by your letter of 18 June, on a date shortly after the Commonwealth games have taken place.
Far from faith in one's principles, refusal to debate with such parties is little better than a cosmetic device.
Well before high questions of principle are debated, however, there's the practical point of whether GDS and the ministerial backing it has are sufficient to keep up the momentum that the data agenda had in central government under Francis Maude and Hancock.
Because scientists cannot exclude that EMFs may cause health problems, the application of the precautionary principle is debated heavily.
Next month, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, an independent agency whose rulings are incorporated into generally accepted accounting principles, is expected to debate and possibly even vote on a recently proposed rule concerning how all retailers calculate "gross profits".
"But because politics is based on interests, not principles, the debate now is over whether the bully crossed the whole line, or just stepped over with his toe".
Generally, Northern Ireland Assembly bills reach their consideration stage a few months after MLAs first debate their principles.
Ministers expect to publish one probably in late June or early July, so that MPs can debate the principles before they go on their summer holidays.
