How it's supposed to work is for knowledge to advance... "useful arts and sciences" as the case may be. The real question becomes, would you still have created your "invention" without the patent system? Would you have enough of a first mover advantage to recoup your investment into the invention without the patent system.
The patent system is intended to allow for inventors to recoup investment and make money. It was started in a time where it would take literally years of R&D and a decade to even break even on hard, physical costs. Software and process ideas take minutes to come up with, and hours to develop... A single license/sale generally recovers any creative investment.
The patent system is intended to allow for inventors to recoup investment and make money. It was started in a time where it would take literally years of R&D and a decade to even break even on hard, physical costs. Software and process ideas take minutes to come up with, and hours to develop... A single license/sale generally recovers any creative investment.