On Tue, 27 Oct 1998 22:33:59 EST JKSCHW at aol.com writes:
>In a message dated 98-10-27 10:50:24 EST, you write:
>
>The point of this? I mean, does it undermine the message of of On
>Liberty, a
>generally wonderful if somewhat overly utilitarian (though considering
>the
>source what would you expect?) defense of freedom of speech and
>freedom of
>different ways of living to note that Mill had a number of prejudices
>that we
>on this list don't share?
In fact Mill's utilitarianism probably undermines his or any defense of free speech as an absolute right. As I recall Herbert Marcuse (who himself was attracted to utilitarianism) was able to Mill's utilitarianism against the defense of free speech as an absolute right. Marcuse argued that under certain circumstances reactionary speech could be justifiably repressed particularly racist and/or pro-fascist speech. He took the view that the failure of the Weimar Republic to repress the Nazis paved the way for their eventual ascension to power.
Jim Farmelant
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