What is the best argument for freedom of speech - 1492 Words

Freedom of speech and the liberty to uphold oneÂ’s expression has long been the subject of many debates. It has taken centuries if not years for mankind to come to a point where many can easily voice their opinions without having to ponder over the consequences. But one should always know where to draw the line. Freedom of expression also needs to have its limits. Two of the masterminds who put forth their work on liberty and freedom of speech were John Stuart Mill and Jean-Jacque Rousseau. The concepts penned by Rousseau contradict those that were constructed by Mil; while the former focused on the functioning of the society as a whole, the latter advocated the rights of the individual to his freedom. Mill basically argument in his piece†¦show more content†¦Mill charted three categories of freedom and asserted that the society was to abide by all three, if it were a free society. The first was freedom of thought and opinion, the second being the right to plan oneÂ’s life and future and the third to associate with other individuals on mutual grounds. The main idea behind this was that one should be able to pursue their own whims without hurting others in the process. Rousseau also has three implications of the contract. The first one being the fact that the conditions of the contract are same for everyone which is why everyone will collectively make it easier for everyone else to follow, secondly an individual cannot stand against the authority because he has given up that right because he is a part of the state, and lastly, there is completely equality ergo the natural freedom that people enjoy stays intact, regardless of the social contract. It was in the ‘Disco urse of InequalityÂ’ that Rousseau observed of inequality that the powerful has the choice between giving the masses an equal piece of the pie or letting the masses rot while they took everything for themselves. He was not an advocate of the powerful; he merely illustrated how the meek must always follow them because they have no other choice. The problem with RousseauÂ’s approach is that it completely rejects the claim that minorities or small groups may have on the society. If the masses chose to, they can quite literally annihilate any smallShow MoreRelated2.1 The Birth Of Free Speech . It Is Difficult To Pinpoint1267 Words   |  6 Pages2.1 THE BIRTH OF FREE SPEECH It is difficult to pinpoint the exact time or year in which the concept of free speech emerged. It has been argued over and debated since the time of ancient Greeks, freedom of speech has always been an indispensable condition of what it means to be a free person. The first known martyr to the principle of free speech was Socrates. In 399BC before his jury to city state of Athens he was tried for corruption the morals of Greek youth and he said that he would ratherRead MoreStudents Freedom Of Speech949 Words   |  4 PagesStudents’ freedom of speech does not exist in society today. Students do not have rights of freedom of speech because society places stipulations on what students can say and do. Freedom of speech includes words, dress code, and actions. In school and at home, students are encourage to stand up for what they believe in. Apparently standing up for what they believe in does not apply to freedom of speech. Students are future leaders, and freedom of speech is a part of that future. The United StateRead MoreFree Speech : Freedom Of Speech1403 Words   |  6 PagesFREE SPEECH Freedom of speech is perhaps the most precious tenets of liberal democracies accorded to the citizens of the free world. The United States, and the rest of the Western society is known to be the cradle of democratic principles, and this can be evidenced by the level of freedom accorded to the citizens of the United States and the West in terms of speech. The freedom of speech gives an individual an opportunity to speak his or her mind and also give his or her opinion, sometimes on veryRead MoreFreedom Of Speech And Free Speech1737 Words   |  7 Pages Freedom of Speech can only go so far before it starts to impede the right of the others, and free speech does not come before other people’s given rights.. According to Steven J. Heyman in the article â€Å"Free Speech Has Limits,† freedom of speech comes tied together with respecting the freedom of other and the rights of other people (par. 4). The author goes on to say that cutting off other peoples rights in the name of free speech can be seen as wrongful and can be faced with consequences (parRead MoreArguments For and Against Censorship Essay1044 Words   |  5 Pagesdefined by Caso as the suppression of speech or any other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive politically incorrect as determined by the government or any other control body (3). Censorship may be justified from the conservative view whereby the free speech can be maltreated where it undermines the customary principles and communal solidity as withheld by a particular community. Arguments for censorship One of the arguments for the censorship of virtual artsRead MoreFree Speech : The Benefits Of Freedom Of Speech805 Words   |  4 Pagesof time ever conjectured how the term freedom of speech is expressed? Freedom of speech is more than the ordinary everyday concept of the synchronization and harmony of speaking freely. In this response, we will strongly scrutinize origins and benefits regarding free speech, circumstances that may restrict free speech, free speech in Canada and determine protesters objection to Jordan Peterson. Without any hesitation, let us enact the importance of free speech concerning if campus debate should beRead MoreConflicting Visions of Freedom in John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty and John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government1275 Words   |  6 Pagesessence of man and his freedom. Locke and Mill have completely different views when it comes to how much freedom man should have in political society because they have obtained different views ab out man’s potential of inheriting pure or evil behavior. In chapter two labeled as â€Å"Liberty of Thought and Discussion†, Mill includes two separate arguments in his writing. His first argument focuses on the assumption that suppressed opinions could be true for all we know; this argument takes place on pagesRead MoreUnlearning Liberty ( 2014 ) Essay1748 Words   |  7 Pagesthat violations of free speech— whether by students, faculty, or administration—will have devastating effects in greater society. Lukianoff supports his assertion by describing cases he has seen throughout his career at FIRE. From administration punishing students to professors getting fired for clearly protected speech. Lukianoff’s purpose is to point out the misguided lessons about freedom that are being taught on campus and to encourage his audience to stand up for freedom on campus. Lukianoff writesRead MoreTesting The Strength Of Supporting Material898 Words   |  4 PagesPart 1:Testing the Strength of Supporting Material The speech of George W. Bush can be considered a highly effective speech because it set the foundation of the policy of the US since 2000 to present and perhaps next 15-20 years. The speech started with: â€Å"Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.† The general purpose of the speech was to bring US together against the evils that it has faced in the past andRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech1601 Words   |  7 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. gave a speech titled â€Å"I Have a Dream† on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. In this speech, Dr. King is trying to persuade all races specifically Blacks and Whites to take action in order to gain freedom and harmony in the community. He tries to do this by using different techniques to appeal to his audience. It is shown that he uses pathos or emotional appeal throughout his speech. Also there are clear signs of logical appeal which is called logos. In