In that they are similar, but please don't try to tell me that writing a good story is on the same value level with inventing a revolutionary device. In transmission of scientific results, for instance, copyright actually hobbles the process.
I never said they were them same, just that they both serve a purpose.
I know of at least one case (through personal experience) where theft of intellectual property was proven because the EXACT same code was proven to exist in a competitors device. Without copyright laws there would have been no course for the plaintiff to recover damages and the defendant would have been free to implement the solution without incurring NRE costs of licensing fees.
In this case the laws insured a level playing field.