To Invent Is Divine: Creativity, Ownership, and the US Patent System

Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers, and many other inventors were enabled by the United States’ patent system, which has created wealth, spurred commercial and industrial progress, and improved the American standard of living for well over a century. But since then, policy changes have weakened this system, creating a wedge between creativity and ownership. In his new book To Invent Is Divine: Creativity and Ownership, James Edwards discusses how the intellectual property (IP) system designed by the American Founders became the world’s “gold standard.”  He explains how patents—and IP generally—combine creative ability with ownership incentives, democratizing invention and securing the fruits of inventive labors with property rights.

Join Adam Mossoff for a conversation with the author about why IP protections are essential for fostering human flourishing, how the American system has been degraded, and steps policymakers can take to restore the system that has benefited the US and the world.