The Free Zone Board

[Spallenzani]

Re: More on this "fancy justification for theft" issue.

I'm not "ascribing evil motives" to you. I am saying that you are attempting to rationalize the theft of services by saying, in effect, "Well, it's my opinion that no one is really harmed by my use of these services without authorization, therefore it's OK."

When you accuse me of "attempting to rationalize the theft", you make it sound like I am planning on stealing something, I know this theft is wrong, but I want to do it anyway, so I rationalize to myself why I should be morally allowed to do it. That is ascribing me with an evil motive.

I am not trying to financially benefit in any way from this discussion. I am simply trying to better understand the issue. If you can convince me that this act is wrong, I would be glad to hear it. But simply declaring this act to be theft is not an argument. I am saying that it is not theft, in the same sense that enjoying the sights and smells of your neighbor's flower garden without paying him for it is not theft. I am asking you to convince me otherwise, not just accuse me of harboring evil motives.