Theft is a very forced metaphor for software piracy

[Slimebeast]

Katilian said:

Slimebeast said:

I already told you. Just like going to the Zoo for free without paying, riding the bus for free, parking your car for free, refusing to play your taxes - the act of copying software without paying is also a form of theft. And thievery is morally wrong, else it wouldnt be called thievery. Popular opinion can't overthrow that moral fact just because the common people gained a majority and think it's convenient to enjoy the work of hard working artists without paying their share. I pirate too, everyone I ever met pirate as well. I sometime park my car without paying and try to get away with it etc. But yet I think it's wrong.

Morals aren't facts (hence the phrase "subjectively defined"). If they were, there wouldn't be any questions about morality. If they are facts, why are things like honour killings, abortions, womens rights, religion, stem cell research and gay marriage (just to name a few) topics of debate?

And what about morals that don't directly affect anyone else? In certain societies, a majority of people consider flag burning to be immoral, yet if the majority decided that flag burning wasn't bad, is it still immoral? The morality of burning a flag isn't inherent, so how is the morality of burning a flag good or bad without a society's opinion?

Obviously it's implied that there are some morals that are practically universal. Theft is one of them. Murder is another. You don't have to believe they are absolute morals (but even some atheists believe in absolute morals - side note) - it's just not practical to debate them, because for example condemnation of theft is universal.

So if I can demonstrate that piracy is in essence the same as theft of a service - again, just like going to the zoo, bus etc without paying, and just like tax evasion - then I've shown it's immoral by universal standards.