How do you propose someone could demonstrate that they independently arrived at the same idea, rather than simply observing the existing idea. If you think "I

How do you propose someone could demonstrate that they independently arrived at the same idea, rather than simply observing the existing idea. If you think "I thought of it and no on else did" is not worthy of being protected property then that is fine and you can make that argument and I wouldn't necessarily argue against you, but I don't think it is accurate to solely argue against patents by characterizing them solely as protection against random other people independently coming to the same idea without the original inventor affecting them at all.