Freedom of Speech (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
First published Fri Nov 29, 2002; substantive revision Mon May 1, 2017 This entry explores the topic of free speech. It starts with a general discussion of freedom in relation to speech and then moves on to examine one of the first and best defenses of free speech, based on the harm principle. This provides a useful starting point for further digressions on the subject. The discussion moves on from the harm principle to assess the argument that speech can be limited because it causes offense rather than direct harm. I then examine arguments that suggest speech can be limited for reasons of de...
Source: stanford.edu