Writing Assignment Philosophy 1360.1
Questions concerning Chapter II, “Of the Liberty of Thought and Expression”
From, On Liberty, by John Stuart Mill, 1859
“If the arguments of the present chapter are of any validity, there ought to exist the fullest liberty of professing and discussing, as a matter of ethical conviction, any doctrine, however immoral it may be considered.” J.S. Mill
J.s. Mill
This is a very strong defense of free speech. Mill tells us that any idea, point of view or doctrine should be allowed to be heard no matter how immoral it may seem to everyone else. And Mill means everyone. He writes:
“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.”
Mill takes the view that it is wrong to silence the expression of opinion for several reasons. Among them are the following:
“The opinion which it is attempted to suppress by authority may possibly be true. Those who desire to suppress it, of course deny its truth; but they are not infallible. They have no authority to decide the question for all mankind, and exclude every other person from the means of judging. To refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility…
Though the silenced opinion be an error, it may, and very commonly does, contain a portion of truth; and since the general or prevailing opinion on any subject is rarely or never the whole truth, it is only by the collision of adverse opinions that the remainder of the truth has any chance of being supplied…
Even if the received opinion be not only true, but the whole truth; unless it is suffered to be, and actually is, vigorously and earnestly contested, it will, by most of those who receive it, be held in the manner of a prejudice, with little comprehension or feeling of its rational grounds.
Instructions: Please read the above passages carefully and answer the following questions.
Reason 1
a) What does it mean to suppress the opinion of another person? b) Give an example of the suppression of opinion that you have experienced.
Why, according to Reason #1, is suppression of someone’s opinion the wrong thing to do? Explain this in your own words.
Mill makes a distinction between “certainty” and “absolute certainty”, indicating that he believes there are two kinds of certainty. He says… Those who desire to suppress it [i.e., others’ opinion] … assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty.”
Read this passage carefully and explain the meaning of “their certainty” and the meaning of “absolute certainty”.
Do you agree with Mill that it is a mistake to suppress the expression of opinions simply because you do not accept them? Explain your answer.
Reason 3
Explain reason 3 in your own words.
Do you agree with Mill’s position on this? Explain your answer.
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