Mill
Mill wrote potentially the most influential piece on freedom of speech, On Liberty: Outlining the importance in the following:
“There is a limit to the legitimate interference of collective opinion with individual independence: and to find that limit, and maintain it against encroachment, is indispensable to a good condition of human affairs, as protection against political despotism”
However in contemporary discourse, tribalism and successful implementation of informal logical fallacies (Ad hominem, Bandwagon fallacy etc.) that create the mere appearance (aesthetic) of validity is more important than the underlying truth. Although all human perception is inherently inaccurate, more often than not, when entering an argument people want to prove how they are right, attaching their ego in the process, instead of finding some greater truth. This is a counterexample to how freedom of speech allows for the capacity for truth, but does not guarantee it. This has the effects of the Tyranny of the Majority, thus leaving society to be mediocre.
Censorship, Skepticism, Genius(Dogma, Mediocrity, Stagnation)
“If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”
This is because one should not merely accept whatever opinion is commonly held, but rather justify their opinions via their own rationale. This protects individuals from having beliefs substantiated by the bandwagon fallacy, and falling into what Mill calls a mediocre society. It is often those with unpopular opinions that progress society forward, this phenomena is what Mill refers to as genius (e.g.Socrates, Newton and, Copernicus were all persecuted).
As we can never be absolutely certain, Mill implores all with the capacity for rational thought to find the truth in all ideas brought forth. Silencing these, potentially false, opinions, is the first step into despotism, but leaving these opinions to be out in the open invites the people to check its validity rather than adhering to another’s conclusion. Mill claimed that false opinions are good sparring practice to see if an opinion is valid - this allows for the existence of living truths instead of dead dogmas.**
Mediocre individual who conform are said to be sheep, machines, steam engine
Beliefs can inspire morality but should not be the justification for said morality: take murder for instance. Murdering is a sin according to Christianity, however, that should not be the reason behind the actions condemnation. Instead, murder should be condemned for its infringement on personal liberty, etc.
Geniuses = Socrates (Asks questions), Galileo (heliocentric model of the solar system), Michelangelo’s diagrams of human physiology.
When Freedom of Speech Becomes Harmful
Mill presents two examples of how freedom of speech can be harmful:
- Screaming fire in a crowded theatre. = Abusing freedom of speech (by lies, misinformation, disinformation, etc.) with the intention of inciting harm.
- A corn dealer hoards loads of corn during a time of scarcity, causing the prices to rise. This action is not harmful to society, Mill claims. Any interference with the dealer’s actions is harmful. He contends that it does not harm others in the way that physical violence or coercion does. When some individual learns about this, they call others to infringe on the corn dealer’s right of private property. Mill claims that this is a misuse of freedom of speech.