Theft is a very forced metaphor for software piracy

[Slimebeast]

Katilian said:

Slimebeast said:

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.

Lets take this to the extreme. If tomorrow everyone on earth decided that murder was 100% ok, explain to me how murder is still immoral? Who is going to say it is wrong? What implies that murder is inherently wrong?

Edit: Also, even if piracy = theft of service, why can't piracy be moral when other forms of theft of service are immoral? Killing someone for fun and killing someone in self defence are both forms of murder, yet there are people that consider murdering for self defence to be ok.

I'd still say that murder is wrong (from the 'outside observer' perspective). I guess this is the example which makes you believe in absolute morals, because most people would still instinctively reply that murder is wrong even if 100% of people thought it is right - the 100% of people in favor of murder just don't know better.

This is much like morals in politics work. Politicians believe they have higher standards and don't let the majority of the people simply decide what to do. Every opinion is not equally valid, whatever you hear someone claim in their hypcrisy.

But, how are you basing your arguments btw? You aren't suggesting that moral issues are only up to a majority vote, do you? Because all other arguments would then be pointless.