Patents are a kind of gov't dispensation, to internalize into the market what would otherwise be external -- ideas. From a libertarian perspective, it's not surprising the gov't has failed in the administration of this process: business interests want more patents, though society would benefit from fewer (but not too few).
I don't know how to solve this basic problem, except be certain that patents only cover man-made machines/process/algorithms, and that they have a hard expiration date of 10 years or whatever.
no subject
Patents are a kind of gov't dispensation, to internalize into the market what would otherwise be external -- ideas. From a libertarian perspective, it's not surprising the gov't has failed in the administration of this process: business interests want more patents, though society would benefit from fewer (but not too few).
I don't know how to solve this basic problem, except be certain that patents only cover man-made machines/process/algorithms, and that they have a hard expiration date of 10 years or whatever.