Bazerman's point (cf. Bazerman, this issue of RBLA) that the whole notion of plagiarism is beset with a fundamental, conceptual paradox is argued to be absolutely right as far as it goes but is shown to be only one of a plethora of inter-related paradoxes that plague the entire conceptual field. On the one hand, this makes plagiarism a concept (if at all it is one!) so very difficult to grapple with and particular cases of alleged plagiarism next to impossible to pin down with any amount of clarity or hundred per cent certainty. But on the other hand, it is perfectly reasonable to continue viewing the issue of plagiarism as an ethical one though not necessarily a moral imperative.
Bazerman; plagiarism; originality; paradox; ethics