[paxys]

These are all generic, idealistic arguments which ignore the fact that things don't work this way in the real world, at least not how they did a couple hundred years ago.

Patenting something today doesn't require innovation, but money and a large team of lawyers. Patents don't encourage innovation but hamper it. Try and start a company today, and a large chunk of your capital will need to be kept aside for legal defense and paying off patent trolls and larger competitors who will bury you in lawsuits for vague, meaningless infringements.