This paper examines some reasons commonly put forward to justify the stagnation that Brazil is among the nations that use the technology for growth and development. It presents an alternative explanation of the consequences associated with the current policy of assessing scientific and technological production that emphasizes only the bibliographic production and does not recognize the request and the granting of a patent or any other type of output or activity. The acceptance of a stone along the way may represent a first step towards overcoming this situation.