But if you want to know where I'm coming from, it's the quote from, I think, John Stuart Mills, that the best way to deal with offensive speech is more speech, not limiting speech. I think the Campus Watch stuff is an attempt to limit speech. And a dangerous one. Personally, for the faculty members involved; and educationally for the institutions involved.
Not quite how JSM put it, John. In the case of "other regarding actions" that do not meet the criterion of the Harm Principle, ie do not violate someone's rights, society isn't justified in restricting the action by act of law, but only justified in social sanction in expression of opinion. He wasn't arguing that the solution to offensive speech is "more speech" but rather that offensive speech that isn't causing specific harm should only be sanctioned by, essentially, public distaste and scorn. Which, I believe, is the upshot of Campus Watch from what I know of it.
Derek |
