Business Ethics Paper

Text: The following is from an online discussion:[5] overstand: retardedchicken: -=iNsAnE=-: Flipside: I’ve been having problems with copying CDs and trying to burn them…when the copy process gets to 4% the used read buffer will go down to zero and continue fluctuating…will someone let me know the procedures on fixing this. May I ask what CDs are you copying? Usually, big companies put copy protection on their CDs so people don’t ILLEGALLY copy their CDs. why do people post worthless crap like this? It’s none of your business what cd’s he’s copying…don’t accuse him of making illegal copy’s of cd’s…maybe try posting something useful next time It’s not worthless crap mongloid….Copyright protection does prevent the copying of some disks especially in main-stream programs such as Nero. Try using Clone CD—you may have better luck with a pure duplication program (No fuss)

Questions: The unanswered question here is whether the CD being copied is copyright protected, in other words, whether this is a piracy case. Assume it is. If retardedchicken had to fill out an ethical argument against CD piracy that relied on either the perennial duties or Kant, what could he say? 2. While overstand may be pirating, no one doubts that the original disc is legitimately his. Maybe he bought it or maybe someone gave it to him; either way, what’s the libertarian argument against retardedchicken? How could a libertarian justify overstand’s copying? 3. Would a libertarian believe that the company producing the disc has a right to lace it with code that makes duplication impossible? Explain. 4. It sounds like Clone CD is specifically made to help pirates get around the copyright protections manufacturers put on their discs. < What’s the Kantian case for condemning Clone CD for their project? < What’s the libertarian case for congratulating them? Which of the two cases is stronger? Why? 5. Retardedchicken implies that overstand is a thief and -=iNsAnE=- calls retardedchicken’s post “worthless crap.” Flipside calls -=iNsAnE=- a “mongloid.” < Is there an ethical case that can be made against the tone of this discussion? < Does online interaction foster this tone? If so, can an ethical case be made against the existence of Internet discussion boards?

Text: The following is from an online discussion:[5] overstand: retardedchicken: -=iNsAnE=-: Flipside: I’ve been having problems with copying CDs and trying to burn them…when the copy process gets to 4% the used read buffer will go down to zero and continue fluctuating…will someone let me know the procedures on fixing this. May I ask what CDs are you copying? Usually, big companies put copy protection on their CDs so people don’t ILLEGALLY copy their CDs. why do people post worthless crap like this? It’s none of your business what cd’s he’s copying…don’t accuse him of making illegal copy’s of cd’s…maybe try posting something useful next time It’s not worthless crap mongloid….Copyright protection does prevent the copying of some disks especially in main-stream programs such as Nero. Try using Clone CD—you may have better luck with a pure duplication program (No fuss)

Questions: The unanswered question here is whether the CD being copied is copyright protected, in other words, whether this is a piracy case. Assume it is. If retardedchicken had to fill out an ethical argument against CD piracy that relied on either the perennial duties or Kant, what could he say? 2. While overstand may be pirating, no one doubts that the original disc is legitimately his. Maybe he bought it or maybe someone gave it to him; either way, what’s the libertarian argument against retardedchicken? How could a libertarian justify overstand’s copying? 3. Would a libertarian believe that the company producing the disc has a right to lace it with code that makes duplication impossible? Explain. 4. It sounds like Clone CD is specifically made to help pirates get around the copyright protections manufacturers put on their discs. < What’s the Kantian case for condemning Clone CD for their project? < What’s the libertarian case for congratulating them? Which of the two cases is stronger? Why? 5. Retardedchicken implies that overstand is a thief and -=iNsAnE=- calls retardedchicken’s post “worthless crap.” Flipside calls -=iNsAnE=- a “mongloid.” < Is there an ethical case that can be made against the tone of this discussion? < Does online interaction foster this tone? If so, can an ethical case be made against the existence of Internet discussion boards?