Conceptually why have we made distinctions between property and intellectual
ownership? and within that why does some intellectual property expire after a
time and why do different things expire after different times? Are there some
intellectual properties we cannot own like though itself? I guess essentially
what I’m asking is why have we classified these differently and how have we
justified that?
It is rooted in the concept of copyright: the right to copy. Centuries ago that was a much more tangible process of labor.
The Press Act and Statue of Anne from England are kind of where the concept originated.