Section I: Property Rights

Individuals in our society have certain property rights. These rights include ownership interests in property. One who owns property is said to have dominion over that particular piece of property. Because a particular piece of property belongs to someone, it is up to the owner to determine what can be done with that piece of property. For example, the owner/person can hold on to the property, change the property, sell it, or give it away. The property owner gets to decide what happens to his or her property.

Property can be something physical, such as a skateboard or a house. It can also be intellectual, such as music or a book. Intellectual property is just as much a piece of property as physical property. The challenge comes when we try to define what the intellectual property is.

Owners can protect property in many ways. They can lock up physical property, label it with their name, or not protect it at all. Nevertheless, even if they do not specifically label their property, owner

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