Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Okigbo - Mythmaker & towncrier at Heavensgate

On Mar 14, 2013, at 10:03 PM, Chidi Anthony Opara wrote:

> Mazi Cornelius,
> I am getting tired of all these; "I do not support plagiarism,
> but………" "Shakespeare and others plagiarized", what the heck! If you
> do not support plagiarism, why the "but"? If Shakespeare and others
> illegally used cocaine for instance, does that justify the illegal use
> of cocaine?


Neither cocaine nor plagiarism was illegal in Shakespeare's time. That's why his plays weren't published during his lifetime and the scripts were never complete, just scrolls for each part with cues noted. The scrolls were carefully collected after each performance and locked up.


>
> What is the difference between stealing of Intellectual property and
> the stealing of private or public property?


Intellectual property rights are not natural rights. They are created by governments for limited periods and are intended to expire. That's how things go into public domain. Cf. the US Constitution's section giving Congress the power to create these rights.

Disney stole so much of "The Lion King" from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" that he could have been sued if "Hamlet" had been under copyright. There's no crime in that. Do it yourself if you want.


John Edward Philips <http://human.cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp/philips/>
International Society, College of Humanities, Hirosaki University
"Homo sum; humani nihil a me alienum puto." -Terentius Afer
<http://www.boydell.co.uk/www.urpress.com/80462561.HTM>



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