What is the meaning of plagiarism: basic notions?
So, what does plagiarism mean? Basically, it is about stealing ideas of others in order to make profit, achieve fame or power, usually. The famous case of plagiarism in Joe Biden’s speech is just an ordinary example of it. So, it is more than just a problem of academic integrity or an honest business. It is a moral question and a matter of dignity, no less! But as it is with everything that concerns morality, the social meaning of plagiarism is much more complex than just black and white.
What is the meaning of plagiarism: more than a judiciary term?
Have you ever thought of development of online media? Every thought, every phrase, every idea broadcasted online becomes protected with intellectual property laws. In reality, the meaning of plagiarism is that in 20-30 years we will not have anything original. Plagiarism detection services detect only blatant word-by-word borrowings, you can say. Yes, this is true. But what is more important: an occasional wording or an idea? The very meaning of plagiarism tells that ideas are of much greater importance. But at the current state of computer technologies, we can only ensure copyrighting mere wordings.
Is it that the current meaning of plagiarism will become obsolete soon? If only we would know! The only thing we are sure of is that current trends in copyright protection entrap ourselves.