Copyright Laws Explained

According to the Berne Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Property (Berne Convention), copyright is a protection that covers published and unpublished literary, scientific and artistic works, whatever the form of expression, provided such works are fixed in a tangible or material form. Copyright laws grant the creator the exclusive right to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute, perform and display the work publicly.

From the point of view of Divine Law, copyright protection of a particular work constrains anyone from stealing it and/or the ideas embodied therein. Divine Law would tell us that the violation of a copyright is sin.

Natural Law, being based on the precepts of righteuosness, justice, equity, and fairness, would tell us that the transgession of a copyright is unfair to the author of the work being protected. It is also an act of unrighteousness and injustice as it is tantamount to stealing.

Copyright laws give exclusive rights of reproduction, distribution, performance, and public display of the copyrighted work only to the author/creator of that work. From the perspective of Moral Law, we can say that copyright laws promote honesty and integrity in the handling and use of these works and thus complies with moral norms.

Copyright laws do not follow the regularity and imperativeness of Physical Law. Because copyright laws are only written by men and may vary from one country/community to the next, we cannot ascertain its efficacy in all places. Also, being manmade, it is obvious that copyright laws are changeable and temporary. It is therefore safe to say that there is no way of explaining copyright laws from this particular point of view.

[There are links to some possibly useful stuff about copyright laws on the side bar of the home page. Check them out ;-)]