One can copy the design of a plow (the intellectual property),
but if one wants a second plow (the physical property), one must build a second plow, and that takes material,
energy, and time. Making a copy of intellectual property also leaves the original owner in possession of what
the original owner had. Copying intellectual property is, therefore, not exactly the same as stealing physical
property.
Another difference between intellectual and physical property is that only one person can own a particular
intellectual property, but any number of people can own physical property. Only one person can own the design
of the plow, but any number of people can build and own physical plows made to the design. Even when more
than one inventor independently creates the same intellectual property, the intellectual property must still be
assigned, and belong, to only one inventor. In contrast, any number of people can own instances of the physical
property. This makes it easier to spread the benefits of physical property ownership among multiple people.
The interest of society as a whole is to maximize the good for the largest possible number of its members.
While most think rewarding inventors for their ideas is for the good, most also feel that disseminating better
ideas widely, so they can be used by many, is also for the good.
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