Stephan Kinsella sintetiza en el blog del Mises Institute uno de los principales argumentos en contra de las patentes: restringen la competencia en el uso del conocimiento.
[A]ll action is based on information or knowledge: beliefs by the actor about what causal laws are operative, what ends are possible, and so on. People acquire knowledge as they develop and grow; some by introspection and experience, but so much more is acquired dissemination from others, by those in one's community, and by the inherited body of knowledge passed down, and added to, over the centuries. Emulation and the acquisition of knowledge play a key role--are essential to--society, and economy.
(...) [O]ne problem with IP is that by monopolizing information, knowledge--patterns--it restricts and locks up the flow of knowledge. It thus impedes the operations of the free market and productivity, by reducting the scope of human action, impairing its efficiency by hampering the means at one's disposal.
