On lying and cheating

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 165357

Carol earlier:
> > <snip>
> > You're still missing the main point, which is that *Harry is 
receiving credit for the HBP's research and creativity.* <snip>
> 
> Mike:
> I catch your point Carol <bg>. But I think many people are still 
> debating whether Harry was cheating or not in using the book. Having 
> read your "main point" phrased several ways <and glad you're not 
> exasperated> lends me to think that you do not ascribe to the 
> cheating part of this debate with regards to use of the book. Is
that right?

 Instead, your main point, which I do agree with, is that Harry's 
> taken credit for the "Prince's" research smacks of plageristic 
> oppurtunism. Fundamentally, I would have liked Harry to have caught 
> Slughorn alone after class and told him that he was following 
> superior instructions from his marked up Potions book.
Realistically, I understand Harry's reluctance to do so. 

Carol:
I suppose our quibble is over the term cheating. As a former teacher
who had to deal with, for example, students copying essays off the
Internet which they claimed as their own, I do consider taking credit
for other people's ideas cheating, especially when it's reflected in
the student's marks. How "plagiaristic opportunism" could be anything
other than cheating is beyond my comprehension. However, as long as
you concede that it's intellectually dishonest to claim others' work
as your own, I'm happy. If it's the word "cheating" that's the
problem, then call it something else.
> 
Mike: 
> And I think this stems from all the non-potion spells that Harry 
> wants to explore. Harry does not want to lose that oppurtunity and, 
> on a fundamental level, I don't believe it is Harry's place to point 
> out to Slughorn that he (Sluggy) assigned an inferior book for his 
> NEWT students. Moralistically, yes Harry should share his superior 
> instructions. IOW, his new reputation for potion brilliance is not
as important to Harry as the chance of losing the oppurtunity to 
> discover all these cool new spells, imo. But...but, that does not 
> exonerate Harry from claiming credit by proxy of all the Prince's 
> work.
> 
> It's this two pronged part of the problem that lies at the base of 
> this debate. Fess up to the Prince and lose the new spells or keep 
> quiet with the side result of him receiving undeserved acclaim for 
> potions brilliance. And with him not minding the accolades, that 
> swings it for Harry. It's a closer call for those of us that don't 
> think using the book is cheating. <snip>

Carol responds:
Oho! It's not *just* reluctance to give up the friend who's "helping"
him attain an unearned reputation for brilliance in Potions. It's a
reluctance to give up the source of those clever hexes and charms.
That makes it all right, then.

Carol, thanking Mike for conceding her main point but thinking that
Harry is definitely choosing what's easy over what's right in this
instance
>