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Free Speech: A Right for Good – and for Trouble‐Making?
Author(s) -
Parens Henri
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of applied psychoanalytic studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.314
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 1556-9187
pISSN - 1742-3341
DOI - 10.1002/aps.1498
Subject(s) - free speech , harm , dilemma , human rights , dissent , element (criminal law) , law , ideology , political science , law and economics , sociology , philosophy , epistemology , politics
Free Speech, intended to permit citizens of any community to publicly express dissent in order to influence, even change governance for the good of society has also given license to some members of society to insult, attack and harm others within and outside one's own society. This key element of human rights, “the freedom of speech” can and has been subject to corruption and used to attack those with whom, our ideology is in disaccord. The Janus Dilemma has it that “free speech” yields words of guidance and human good; but also words of attack and of wounding that stir human conflict.