The concept "steal" is quite broad --
broader than theft of
property.
Yes, the word is ambiguous; that does not mean the various concepts
covered by the word have to be, but I agree that it does allow you to
use the word without implying one specific meaning of it.
Similarly, plagiarism is a moral issue quite separate
from the legal
status of things. Even someone opposed to copyright laws can agree
that it is immoral to use an author's work without permission,...
Plagiarism is copying another authors work _and claiming it as your
own_, which is fraudulent, and I agree immoral. Using an author's
work without his permission for your own use or profit, but openly
without deception, is copyright infringement, with which I find not
the slightest moral objection. This is our moral disagreement.
I think of ideas like children. We create them, develop them,
benefit from them; but once they are released into the world, we no
longer have any right to control what becomes of them or who benefits
from them.
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