Philosophical Quandry: Piracy

geoschmo · #1 July 12th, 2003, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Damn it... I guess you didn't see the "PLEASE WAIT" sign...

Fyron, I am tired of going around and around with you on every single issue. You win.

But watch your tone in the future.I had started my second post before your had completed your post, much less put in your "edit in progress" comment. It wasn't there for me to see, "damn it".

Geoschmo

Fyron · #2 July 12th, 2003, 12:12 AM

First off, note that I often play devil's advocate for the sake of debate. Not everything I post is actually a representation of my personal views. The relative nature of morality is, but not everything else is. This of course does not invalidate any post I have made, so please do not commit that fallacy.

Quote:

So by your own statements making copies and distributing them is illegal. If it is illegal is it not theft? Are you saying it's illegal by some other basis but it is not theft? Is that how it can be illegal and not immoral?

Please note that I never once said whether making copies and distributing them is morally right or wrong. It is certainly illegal, but legal and moral are wholely unrelated concepts. They sometimes coincide, but that is more often than not coincidence, and is again all relative. Some laws are based on certain moral views, but those moral views are relative, and they change continuously with the passage of time. Actions that were immoral at one point are moral now, and vice versa. Right back to the relative nature of morality.

Quote:

Or are you sayign that theft is not immoral according to broad US culture?

I am not saying either way. I am not talking about theft in general either, but a very specific action. The crux of the original question of the thread is whether it is immoral or not, which (like everything) is open to debate.

Quote:

I am not that suprised you are having problems with this though.

I have not had any problems, as I have not stated anything in regards to the morality of the action.

Quote:

These are the sorts of conundrums you find yourself in when you don't have moral absolutes.

You are having more conundrums than I am Geo.

Fyron · #3 July 12th, 2003, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:

quote:
Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Damn it... I guess you didn't see the "PLEASE WAIT" sign...

Fyron, I am tired of going around and around with you on every single issue. You win.

But watch your tone in the future.I had started my second post before your had completed your post, much less put in your "edit in progress" comment. It wasn't there for me to see, "damn it".

Geoschmo

No, I was writing a new post. I had posted the stuff I was going to edit in there as a new post, and got sidetracked from removing the "please wait" request. Don't be so impatient on ICQ.

Also, there is nothing wrong with the tone of that sentence. I guess if you see something wrong with it that is from your particular view on ettiquite which, like morality, is entirely relative.

My view is that the word damn is not a wrong word to use. If you are offended by it, I am sorry, but it will remain.

Fyron · #4 July 12th, 2003, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Fyron, I am tired of going around and around with you on every single issue. You win.

Bah. It was not my intention to "win", but to hold a debate.

Erax · #5 July 12th, 2003, 12:20 AM

Fyron, this time I actually followed you all the way through the argument. One of us is getting better at this.

So now I'm curious, what ARE your views ? I knew you were playing devil's advocate back there with the 15000 copies post, but what is YOUR opinion ?

Thermodyne · #6 July 12th, 2003, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

quote:
Fyron, I am tired of going around and around with you on every single issue. You win.

Bah. It was not my intention to "win", but to hold a debate.

LOL, heck Kazz, I'm in a mood tonight. What side of this do you want me to take.

Phoenix-D · #7 July 12th, 2003, 01:24 AM

"There are probably thousands of possible alternate economic systems available to open-minded people, and economics is not my favorite subject. However my personal proposal would be that there would be a tax levied which would be somewhat less than the estimated average expenditure on the media which would be made free, based on the person's disposable income. Taxpayers could then voluntarily indicate which content creators they appreciated the most, and these creators would get compensated accordingly."

PvK, you've got to be kidding me. What you're proposing here is essentially taxing everyone so Joe Schmoe #41445 can watch his porn collection without having to pay for it first. I'll pass; we don't need yet ANOTHER level of government intervention (and there would be abuse of this system on that level as well)

The person who does nothing because he doesn't enjoy that kind of game, or whatever, shouldn't have to pay for those who do..