Free Speech

Free Speechis a philosophical treatment of a topic which is of immense political and social importance to each and every one of us. In this book, Alan Haworth situates the main arguments for free speech by tracing their relationship to contemporary debates in politics and political philosophy. He considers some of the most important historical contributions to the free speech debate, concentrating most on the thoughts of John Stuart Mill. Haworth writes with great clarity, with wit and with genuine concern. Free Speechis sure to appeal to anyone with an interest in philosophy, politics, and current affairs.

Preface and acknowledgements

xiii

PART ONE

1

(148)

An introduction to the argument

3

(21)

Mill's argument and Mine

3

(2)

The place of Mill's argument in philosophy and in history

5

(2)

What is the problem?

7

(9)

Getting the story right

16

(8)

The liberty of thought and discussion

24

(9)

Thought and discussion prioritised

24

(2)

What is `thought and discussion'?

26

(3)

A crack in the fabric: Mill's corn dealer' example

29

(4)

A case study

33

(20)

A German attack on applied ethics

35

(2)

A short excercise in 'deconstruction'

37

(6)

A note on `assuming infallibility'

43

(7)

Conclusion and postscript

50

(3)

Truth and consequences

53

(17)

The anti-consequentialist consensus

55

(1)

The objections from integrity and negative responsibility

56

(6)

Assessing the consequences

62

(6)

A note on the 'free market in ideas'

68

(2)

Consequentialism and the right to free speech

70

(13)

The anti-consequentialist argument from rights

71

(9)

Consequentialism: conclusions

80

(3)

The value of truth

83

(35)

The value of truth and the threat of relativism

83

(1)

Value relativism: truth and the good society

84

(6)

Value relativism: whose vision?

90

(3)

Epistemic relativism: The 'true believer'

93

(4)

An appeal to science

97

(7)

Epistemic relativism: Rorty's revisionist liberalism

104

(9)

Conclusion: are we trapped in a house of mirrors?

113

(5)

Areopagitica's aftermath

118

(31)

`One discussion more'

118

(2)

Parallels and perspective

120

(10)

Patterns of repression

130

(6)

Conclusion: The lie of the land

136

(13)

Postscript to Part One: taking stock of the classic defence

142

(7)

PART TWO

149

(75)

Contract and convention

151

(23)

Contract and convention: `literal' contractualism

153

(7)

`Conventionalist' contractualism

160

(1)

Some interim conclusions

161

(4)

Contractualism and value relativism

165

(5)

Conclusion: contractualism and rights

170

(4)

From the contract to free speech?

174

(24)

Free speech as a `basic liberty'

174

(3)

Free speech and democracy

177

(8)

Free speech and liberty of conscience

185

(3)

From the contract to free speech?

188

(6)

Contractualism since 1972

194

(4)

Concerning toleration

198

(16)

Locke's argument from `just bounds'

199

(2)

Toleration as a model for free speech

201

(5)

Locke's argument: conclusions

206

(2)

The contractualist approach: taking stock

208

(6)

Conclusions and Prospects

214

(10)

Conclusions

214

(3)

Prospects

217

(7)

Appendix: Milton and Mill: a comparison of extracts

224

(5)

Notes

229

(20)

References

249

(9)

Index

258

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Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials