report.qmd



title: Er copyleft etisk forsvarligt?
#subtitle: |
Moralfilosofisk undersøgelse af en type af software-licenser
date: 2025-12-18
toc-depth: 2
metadata-files:

_actors.yml
keywords:
Copyleft
sharing economy

link-citations: true
bibliography: ref.bib
csl: apa
resource-path:

/usr/share/citation-style-language/styles

filters:

nobreaks

format:
stylish-report-pdf:
pdfversion: "2.0"
pdfstandard: [A-4f, UA-2]
tagging: on
template-partials:
- before-title.tex
include-in-header:
refine hyphenation
- text: |
    \usepackage{lua-check-hyphen}
    \LuaCheckHyphen{compact,whitelist={%
      hyph_ok_any.txt,%
      hyph_ok_american.txt,%
      hyph_ok_danish.txt,%
    }}
    \babelhyphenation[danish]{
      anvend-e-lige % anven-delige
      begynd-ende % begyn-dende
      copy-left % copyl-eft
      der-ud-over % deru-dover
      fang-er-nes % fan-gernes
      for-brug-eren % forbruge-ren
      for-vent-ningen % forventnin-gen
      grundes % grun-des
      hand-ling-er-nes % handlin-gernes
      ide-al-erne % idea-lerne
      kokt-ved-gaard % kok-t-vedgaard
      pro-pri-e-tær % prop-rietær
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add alt text to embedded image, to aid non-visual rendering
- text: |
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        \includegraphics[
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          width=\doclicense@imagewidth%
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define missing danish locale strings, and append link to published source
TODO: override URI suffix (curently falls back to default URI)
- text: |
    \makeatletter
      \@namedef{doclicense@lang@thisDoc}{Dette værk er licenseret under en}
    \makeatother
    \makeatletter
      \@namedef{doclicense@lang@word@license}{-licens.\\
        Kilde er tilgængelig ved
        \href{https://source.abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvxyzæøå.dk/copyleft}{https://source.abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvxyzæøå.dk/copyleft}}
    \makeatother
    \makeatletter
      \@namedef{doclicense@lang@lic@CC@code}{da}
    \makeatother
    \makeatletter
      \@namedef{doclicense@lang@lic@CC@by-sa@4.0}{Kreditering-DelPåSammeVilkår 4.0 International}
    \makeatother

#keep-tex: true
Abstract

::: {lang=en}
With the rise of information technology,
non-physical creations are being shared more widely than ever before.
These works are shared under various different normative guiding principles,
but among them,
the four freedoms central to free software promise universal guiding principles
for sharing with the greatest degree of freedom to use, modify,
distribute and improve software.
Copyleft is an additional principle that ensures works derived
from free software also uphold the four freedoms.
This project investigates the meta-ethical and normative implications
of different formulations of the principle of copyleft.
The report begins by first laying out the central theories of normative ethics --
deontology, consequentialism and contractualism.
Then, through systematic ethical analysis,
the moral defensibility of the copyleft principle is derived
based on each of the three normative theories.
After identifying relevant necessary commitments and principles
from the results of the analysis,
the method of reflective equilibrium is applied to adjust
commitments and principles to ensure coherence and consistency
within each of the three normative theories.
The contractualist approach used a strong formulation
of the copyleft principle during analysis,
but this was adjusted into a more moderate but still strong position
that the four freedoms should be made the moral default when sharing software.
The deontological analysis proved fruitful,
as the reflective equilibrium did not bring change to the principle.
The consequentialist approach was initially compatible with the principle of copyleft,
except for cases where, under a utilitarian perspective,
the four freedoms could potentially limit societal efficiency,
economic growth, or broader welfare outcomes
The project concludes that each of the normative theories
can be made compatible with some version of the copyleft principle,
though the strength and formulation of the principle vary across the theories.

:::
Indledning og problemfelt
{{< include intro.md >}}
{{< include problem.md >}}
Metode
{{< include overview-method.md >}}
Empiri
{{< include overview-copyleft.md >}}
Teori
{{< include overview-theory.md >}}
Konsekventialisme
{{< include overview-consequentialism.md >}}
Deontologi
{{< include overview-deonthology.md >}}
Kontraktteori
{{< include overview-contract.md >}}
Etik og copyleft
{{< include overview-copyleft-ethics.md >}}
Analyse
{{< include analysis-intro.md >}}
Copyleft for konsekventialister
{{< include analysis-consequentialism.md >}}
Copyleft for deontologer
{{< include analysis-deontology.md >}}
Copyleft for kontraktteoretikere
{{< include analysis-contract.md >}}
Diskussion
{{< include discuss.md >}}
Konklusion
{{< include conclusion.md >}}
Referenceliste {.appendix}
\begingroup
\RaggedRight
::: {#refs}
:::
\endgroup
\appendix