Ethics of Speech

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

A commitment to free speech is embedded deeply in most liberal societies. However, there is a general agreement that some speech rightly falls outside the bounds of a right to free speech. In this course we will study the philosophical arguments that underlie the right to free speech, as well those that demonstrate how speech itself can perform many harmful acts. To guide our thinking on these ideas, we will read foundational work in ethics and political philosophy—including Kant and Mill—as well as the philosophy of language—such as Austin and Langton. The course begins with a study of classic texts that aim to outline the ethical foundations of a robust freedom of speech—focusing primarily on Mill & Taylor’s On Liberty. In this section of the course, the aim is to bring out the diversity of arguments and values meant to demonstrate the special importance of free speech. These include epistemic arguments, democratic values, and autonomy-based concerns. We will then consider how well these arguments fit together with more recent work that understands speech most fundamentally as an action, and an action that can oppress, subordinate, silence, and cause harm, among other things. To understand these ideas, we will consider a range of linguistic expressions and case studies, including lies, propaganda, pornography, so-called ‘dog-whistles,’ and more or less overt utterances of hate speech. With these ideas behind us, we will then consider how, why, and when resistance to the harmful aspects of speech is possible, and perhaps morally required. Our guiding question throughout will be that between our intuitive ideas of free speech and hate speech lies a lot of rich and interesting philosophical material, and understanding how to balance the competing values and harms involved in real-life cases of conflict is worthy of sustained study. The aim of this course will be to deepen our understanding of these key concepts, philosophical frameworks, and ethical questions through careful study of diverse texts.