If you know the engineer can't answer it, it's silly at best to ask it. At worst, it's malicious. See http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/JAQing_off (If you don't know that, then there's no problem and a quick explanation why it's not worth asking should end the thread. It's not something I'd take someone to task for.)
Huh? What on earth are you talking about? Nothing you wrote makes sense. Someone asked a question on the merits of a patent, the likelihood of it being upheld if challenged, if it is at all patented, etc.
What you are referring to is anti-intellectualism, to ask questions for the effect of the question itself. Hiding behind the hypothetical, and not for the desire to know the answer. The root question here wanted to know an answer, not play any game.
"Silly at best to ask it"? Again, what on earth are you talking about? If people have an insight to give, they will give it.
"Not something i"d take someone to task for"? Do usually tell people the things you don't feel like doing?
If you know the engineer can't answer it, it's silly at best to ask it. At worst, it's malicious. See http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/JAQing_off (If you don't know that, then there's no problem and a quick explanation why it's not worth asking should end the thread. It's not something I'd take someone to task for.)