“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

“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.” >That is, patents don't increase innovation or productivity -- that is by design. Yes one part is to prevent trade secrets, but the idea is that by making trade secrets public, other people will have the ability to improve on the idea and make innovations that wouldn't have otherwise been possible had the knowledge been kept secret--not just that society gets to use that one invention. The other purpose has nothing to do with trade secrets. There are many inventions that wouldn't be possible to protect with trade secrets. Patents are designed to make this kind of invention profitable to create--encouraging people to invent them. Btw I'm not arguing that patents necessarily fulfill their purpose.