This week you'll read about the history and origin of intellectual property as well as learned some of the ways in which intellectual property is protected from outside infringement. At first glance this seems like a good thing, that is, someone owns something (albeit intangible) and there are laws protecting others from infringing on it. However, if you look closely at the powers given to the federal government (in the Constitution Article 1, Section 8), you will see that the goal was to "promote the progress of science and useful arts," not to give creators/inventors absolute unlimited exclusivity to promote their creation/invention. To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; Article 1, Section 8, Constitution of the United States of America Many feel that intellectual property law is in fact developing monopolies and preventing competition; recall that competition is one of the hallmarks of American capitalism. In the Second International Forum on Creativity and Invention, The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO, 2002) (Links to an external site.) 3 Clicks: Lauren Starkey, Isaac Perez, Lauren Nunezexplains their concern by stating: intellectual property is being seen more and more as a means of protecting right-owners economic interests as such rather than (which is its original purpose) to stimulate creativity through time-li