MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Is pirating a book that you already own ethical? Yes says NY Times Columnist.

riemann42 · 04-13-2010, 06:09 PM

This is an interesting conversation, as the concept of ownership and copyright and eithics are hard to describe.

So, I'm going to think out loud for a second.

* When purchasing a physical or electronic book, you are not buying the content, as this is clearly owned by the original copyright holder.

* When purchasing a physical book, you are buying a copy of said book. This copy is, most notably, the physical copy you hold in your hands.

* When purchasing an electronic book, you are also buying a copy of the book. This copy, is a little harder to define, but I'll try. You are buying a file, which you have limited rights to.

So if all of the above are true, and you have agreed to it, then it seems like acquiring something you don't have rights to... namely an electronic copy of a book you own a physical copy of... is no more ethical than stealing a hard back book because "you bought the electronic version."

I'm not sure I agree with the above, but if the moral principle at stake is "keeping your word" or "living up to your end of an agreement," then I find it hard to argue with.

I tend to usually take the moral stance of "pay an author when you read the book," but that moral stance is very difficult to convert to practical application (what about free ebooks, library books, web pages, etc.).

Suggestion to Publishers: For new hardbacks, grant the right to download an ebook version of the file. Make it so the only way to get an ebook of a new release (in some cases) is to buy the hardback. This solves several problems for you.

04-13-2010, 06:09 PM	#68
riemann42 Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 506 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Device: eSlick,nook	This is an interesting conversation, as the concept of ownership and copyright and eithics are hard to describe. So, I'm going to think out loud for a second. * When purchasing a physical or electronic book, you are not buying the content, as this is clearly owned by the original copyright holder. * When purchasing a physical book, you are buying a copy of said book. This copy is, most notably, the physical copy you hold in your hands. * When purchasing an electronic book, you are also buying a copy of the book. This copy, is a little harder to define, but I'll try. You are buying a file, which you have limited rights to. So if all of the above are true, and you have agreed to it, then it seems like acquiring something you don't have rights to... namely an electronic copy of a book you own a physical copy of... is no more ethical than stealing a hard back book because "you bought the electronic version." I'm not sure I agree with the above, but if the moral principle at stake is "keeping your word" or "living up to your end of an agreement," then I find it hard to argue with. I tend to usually take the moral stance of "pay an author when you read the book," but that moral stance is very difficult to convert to practical application (what about free ebooks, library books, web pages, etc.). Suggestion to Publishers: For new hardbacks, grant the right to download an ebook version of the file. Make it so the only way to get an ebook of a new release (in some cases) is to buy the hardback. This solves several problems for you.