[bediger]

I'd argue that "copyright" isn't a natural right like possession of property, and therefore you really can't steal copyrighted material.

If I grab your book while you're not looking, and xerox a few pages, I've copied some copyright material. Once I put the book back, YOU CAN'T TELL I'VE DONE IT. That's unlike actually removing the book from your posession. You can tell I've done that.

If you can't tell I've done it, it isn't theft. It's something else. All the laws in the world don't make it otherwise.

[kristofferR]

Agree, but that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about copying something and calling it your own.

Copying a book for yourself is one thing, releasing a copy with another name and some minor additions and calling it your own is another thing.