2009
First Published
3.63
Average Rating
128
Number of Pages
Part of Series
Voltaire's comment—"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"—is frequently quoted by defenders of free speech. Yet it is rare to find someone prepared to defend all freedom of speech, especially if the views expressed are obnoxious or obviously false. So where do we draw the line? How important is our right to freedom of speech? In this accessible and up-to-date Very Short Introduction, Nigel Warburton covers a wide range of controversial free-speech issues, from Holocaust denial and pornography to the status of modern copyright law. The book offers a concise guide to many of the vexing issues concerning our right to speak freely, including: Should a civilized society set limits on freedom of speech? How can we balance free speech with the sensitivities of religious and minority groups? How have digital technology and the Internet changed the debate?
Avg Rating
3.63
Number of Ratings
846
5 STARS
17%
4 STARS
39%
3 STARS
34%
2 STARS
8%
1 STARS
2%
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Author
Nigel Warburton
Author · 12 books
Nigel Warburton is Senior Lecturer at the Open University and author of a number of popular books about philosophy. Warburton received a BA from the University of Bristol and a PhD from Darwin College, Cambridge and was a lecturer at the University of Nottingham before joining the Department of Philosophy at the Open University in 1994. He runs a popular philosophy weblog Virtual Philosopher and with David Edmonds regularly podcasts interviews with top philosophers on a range of subjects at Philosophy Bites. He also podcasts chapters from his book Philosophy: The Classics.
