Should individuals be able to patent ideas, since those ideas are built on the work of others?

[torran]

Actually, for many years the Supreme Court was oppposed to all patents, based on the idea that a patent is a form of a monopoly.

So it is not universally agreed that people should be able to get patents.

[mohammed47]

Sure. I'm related to a guy that took others' inventions and improved on them. Was quite common 100 years ago.

[hrafn]

if credit is given to the other individuals who have worked on it.

[caomh]

As an Engineer,I had to sign a release that all my patents were the property of my corporation since even future patents would be the result of what I learned while I worked there.
They wouldn't employ me without it.

[christos]

The patent only applies to the new idea, and not also the old ideas.

[wynn]

The government grants patents. Do you recognize the irony of your question?

[coinleain]

Yes. The workers on the work of others were PAID for there work, therefore, an individual has no obligation to give them any credit for their work.

Since the last time I said this it was deleted, I'll say it again.

If a man wants to build a house that he can sell for a profit, he buys and PAYS for the material. Then he signs a contract with a builder for a certain amount of money, which he PAYS in full. The contractor uses a portion of that money to PAY his workers.

When the house is completed, he sells it for a profit. He is not OBLIGATED to share that profit with the supply house or the contractor because he PAID them already.

[abraham90]

You know.... What you describe is the ESSENCE of what patents are all about..

Consider this... The automobile tire has over 10,000 patents... Would you suggest that I can not get a patent on an improvement to the tire that allows it to be bullet proof and never go flat and provide the smoothest ride ever and cost one tenth to make compared to the "Prior Art"?

Anyway.. I think when you consider this you will see it is reasonable to allow this...