Re: NY Times Ethicist Condones Ripping Off E-books

Beth Young <[email protected]> wrote:

> Chris's argument would mean all of these are ethical uses, if I understand
> things right, and Joseph's argument would mean all of these are unethical.
> 
> It's hard to see how a legal prohibition on all these uses would be the
> right balance of interests, though.  For example, switching formats of
> scholarly books would make research easier and potentially more accurate.
> Switching formats while reading a single book could allow people to finish
> books more quickly and potentially buy more books, too.  etc.

Law and ethics are two different things.  The law is a social compromise
between different beliefs about what the "right thing to do" is.  And
these kinds of discussions (and court cases) are how we figure out what
some sort of acceptable compromise might be.  Remember too that good
compromises are those that make all parties equally unhappy.

Bill

> 
> Of course I say this as someone who has happily purchased the Beatles' White
> Album in multiple formats!
> 
> Joseph, would you also find it unethical to use photocopies for some of
> these purposes?  e.g., you're traveling to Helsinki but don't want to drag
> the whole Fodor's guide with you, so you photocopy the restaurant pages and
> bring those.  Or, you're making a complicated recipe and photocopy the
> recipe so as not to risk the glossy photos in the original.  Or, you're
> making a project from one of those Sunset books and photocopy the materials
> page to bring to the store, rather than writing out a separate list and
> maybe making a mistake.  If your argument is premised on the idea that you
> bought the book and can't change its format, I guess the answer is that
> photocopies are unethical too.
> 
> I hope this email doesn't anger anyone . . . I am thinking out loud but of
> course would never steal.
> 
> Beth
> 
> 
> On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 6:24 AM, joseph harris <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > From: "Robotech_Master"
> > > And in a somewhat more balanced frame of mind:
> > >
> > >
> > http://www.teleread.org/2010/04/06/p-books-to-e-books-the-ethics-of-downloading-and-the-legality-of-scanning/
> > >
> > > --
> > > Chris Meadows aka         | WWW: http://www.terrania.us      | Somebody
> > > Robotech_Master           | ICQ: 5477383  AIM: RoboMastr     | help, I'm
> > > [email protected] | Skype, LJ-Gizmo: Robotech_Master | trapped
> > in
> > > [email protected]        | Facebook: Robotech.Master        | a sig
> > file!
> >
> > Chris,
> >
> > I can't imagine that you and I are ever going to agree on this, but are you
> > seriously supporting this set of arguments.
> >
> > The court decision quoted deals specifically with music in digital media;
> > it is not about all media, nor is it about approving the obtaining of fresh
> > copies of the files. It deals simply with the issue of how you utilise a
> > digital music file that you legitimately own; and then it must assume that
> > you have not agreed, in the contract of purchase, to other terms.
> >
> > There is a simple issue of contract, by the way.
> >
> > Here (UK) the issue of copying print content was dealt with very early in
> > the existence of Xerox copying machines; it is against copyright law - of
> > course this was before the US joined the rest of the world in Berne. The
> > question was exactly the same; what have you purchased. The answer is you
> > have purchased a single copy with no further rights to publish more copies,
> > or cross media, or even get  paperback free if you bought the hardback.
> >
> > Now it may be hard for the US traditionalists to understand that the net
> > has thrust us all into each other's laps. And since most everything can be
> > made a digital file the potential for taking without payment or respect to
> > law is great.
> >
> > Suggesting that, because you have paid for a copy of something, you are
> > automatically entitled to get other copies that have been stolen,  is
> > ethical correctness gone mad.  I always rear up when I hear the word ethics
> > or ethical - I know it is going to be an attempt to justify why the morals
> > of millenia should be ignored. Truly, here, I was not disappointed -
> > unfortunately.
> >
> > Far from being 'reasoned', it is merely a verbose extension of Cohen's
> > 'permission to steal'. Verbose because the writer hopes the point will be so
> > confused by the verbiage that none will argue against.
> >
> > It is simply an attempt to justify the 'I want, I take' philosophy. Whether
> > the law should sensibly be rewritten in light of technical changes is
> > something worth discussing - internationally.
> >
> > While many think the whole publishing scene is now settled into a brave new
> > world, the truth is the changes have not even finished raising the dust.
> > That other crutch for the taking argument, 'I can so I will', would not be a
> > good principle to encourage elsewhere.
> >
> > The plethora of devices and formats is not a problem created by the
> > publisher or author - why punish them for the actions of others? Because it
> > is easy?
> >
> > Joseph
> >
> > Joseph Harris - Debt Control Man
> > http://www.controlyourdebtcrisis.co.uk
> > Author: Control Your Debt Crisis on Your Own Terms
> > http://twitter.com/debtcontrolman
> > SAQ - SAve the cheQuese it is easy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
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> >
> >
> 
> 
> -- 
> Beth
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 


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