Subj : Re: GNU Public Licences Revisited (again)
To   : comp.programming
From : Chris Sonnack
Date : Wed Sep 21 2005 05:58 pm

Arthur J. O'Dwyer writes:

>>> So in your view: Making a copy by expending a lot of effort is hard
>>> work, and is all right. Making a copy by expending little effort
>>> is easy, and is theft.
>>
>> Which we both, I think, agree is incorrect.
> 
> Which "which"?

That easy/hard have anything to do with the definition of theft.

>> It's such a simple equation.  Taking something of someone else's without
>> their permission is theft.  Period.
> 
> Almost. Obviously, I can take apples from an apple tree without thieving 
> from the tree; which means that we need a more rigorous definition of 
> "someone."

Do you often refer to trees as "someone"?  (-:

Given the context (a morals discussion) we're referring to intelligent,
conscious entities.  More basically, a foundation of moral analysis is
the perception that "all are equal" and clearly the all refers to those
capable of having morals at all.

This excludes (as far as we know) trees and animals.

> Not to mention "of someone else's." After all, surely you don't 
> believe that might makes right, possession is ten parts of the law,
> and so on?

Don't you find it tiresome to have to dot every 'i' and cross every 't'?
Yes, we're referring to lawful possessions.

> And remember, David is strenuously arguing against the recognition of 
> certain kinds of concepts (words, art, algorithms, democracy, the 
> color blue) as "property" at all --- which means that we disagree on
> the  meaning of "something" as well!
>    Not so simple, is it? :)

I think the idea of theft is still simple.  The idea of rightful ownership
may, indeed, be more complex, since it's based on social perception.

But I think that for any given 'x' upon which we can agree ownership
can be lawful, there is no question about the theft of it being wrong.

And tell me, why do you believe I may not own the fruits of my labor?


>>> For example, consider a "beer genius" who can just effortlessly create
>>> new and innovative beer recipes off the top of his head any time he
>>> feels like it. Nobody else can make a living the old-fashioned way
>>> anymore; is the beer genius "stealing" from the oldsters, because he
>>> can effortlessly render their efforts useless?
>>> (My answer: obviously not.)
>>
>> Agreed.  However consider the fact that our beer genius probably spent
>> considerable investment *becoming* a beer genius.
> 
> No, he didn't. I'm the one postulating this thought-experiment, and I 
> state that our beer genius' powers came to him fully fledged without any 
> apparent cause. He's the Ramanujan of beer. /Now/ is he a thief?

No, but he's probably a freak of nature.  :-)


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