Intellectual property

Rights may be endowed upon us when we conform to natural law by accepting natural responsibilities and expend energy and time in a natural effort.

I plant a tree and cultivate it for 10 years until it bears fruit if someone comes and takes that fruit we call it stealing.

I spend ten years researching and writing a book and take it to a printer and give him permission to print my book and sell it on the condition that anyone who buys it does not buy the right to copy the book for profit. Back at the apple tree I let people come and look at the tree, even rest in the shade but they are not allowed to eat the fruit without my permission.

The right to the fruit of my labor in both cases is proper. We call it a property right.

If I die I bequeath the right to the fruit of my labor to my family as an inheritance. That is a natural and proper right because the kingdom of God is from generation to generation. Now one may claim a property right in an idea because they wrote it on a piece of paper but the idea is not necessarily grant a right. The idea may be the product of revelation and revelation has a way of appearing in many minds at the same time and a property right may not exist in what we call an idea. Over zealous claims may create a gray area but if justice is written in the hearts of the people they will see the distinctions.

To imagine that someone an spend ten year writing a book and saving money to print a hundred copies to sell and a wealthy printer can come and print 10,000 copies and walk away with the profits of those ten years of labor is okay and not an injustice is myopic.

So yes there is something that can be called an Intellectual property but it must be established by labor and contractual agreement or custom.

The greyness of their limits is the product of the peoples ability to see the truth not the Intellectual property right itself.