If I steal the food out of your fridge....you can't eat.

If I somehow 'digitally duplicate' the food out your fridge and leave without actually taking YOUR food...you can still eat.

This distinction is very important. It's why noone has every been charged with 'theft' or 'robbery' or 'stealing' for downloading/uploading music or any other intellectual property.

More clearly, file-sharing is not stealing because noone is depriving another of their property.