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by madeofpalk 403 days ago
> Humans can read a book, get inspiration, and write a new book and not be litigated against

Humans get litigated against this all the time. There is such thing as, charitably, being too inspired.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_subject_to_plagi...

1 comments

If you follow these cases more closely over time you'll find that they're less an example of humans stealing work from others and more an example of typical human greed and pride. Old, well established musicians arguing that younger musicians stole from them for using a chord progression used in dozens of songs before their own original, or a melody on the pentatonic scale that sounds like many melodies on the pentatonic scale do. It gets ridiculous.

Plus, all art is derivative in some sense, it's almost always just a matter of degree.

> art is derivative in some sense, it's almost always just a matter of degree.

Yes, that's why we judge on a case by case basis. The line is blurry.

I think when you're storing copies of such assets in your database that you're well past the line, though.

To the point that Billy Joel "famously" credited the songwriter for one of his songs ("This Night") as "Billy Joel, Ludwig van Beethoven".