Quote:
Originally Posted by bill_mchale
Since you can't or won't state why intellectual property should be considered morally different than physical property?
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Bill
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There are two questions at play here:
1) Are intellectual and physical property rights morally different?
2) Is copyright infringement morally equivalent or equal to theft?
My problem with automatically equating copyright infringement with theft is that theft has two consequences: First the unauthorized user gains the use of the stolen property; and second the owner loses said use. This is not the case with copyright infringement.
If we're in school and I photocopy your history notes, you still have them and can still study for the test on Friday. If I steal your copy you no longer have them and you can't study for the test on Friday.
I see preventing you from benefiting from your labor as being morally worse than taking advantage of your labor for my own benefit; and therefore see copyright infringement as being less than theft.