Based on your reading thus far, which of these writers is the most important in the modern understanding of free expression? In other words, which of these writers is the most important to you? Why? Write a paragraph or so that explains and justifies your choice for the most significant free expression advocate. Be specific in your reasoning.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Free Expression Polemicists: Who Speaks to You?
The philosophy of free expression has been developed over many centuries by many thinkers and writers. Plato, Milton, Lilburne, Locke, Hobbes, and Cato have all contributed to the idea of free expression by raising important issues about the truth and reality, democracy, the nature of civil society, and free speech and press.
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16 comments:
John Locke, to me, embodies the most influential thinking in regards to free expression. He builds his idea of expressive freedom on the foundations of natural equality of man. His thoughts on the natural state, the state of war, property and government are profound in the sense that, at his time, most people didn’t think in those terms. Every idea that he formulates in the Second Treatise, emphasizes the rights of the individual over the right of the state. It is such an empowering way of thought, the idea to give power to the people and ensure their prerogative to make choices. We are so used to being independent; it is difficult to imagine not having a choice concerning the people who rule over us. Locke’s awareness of the need to balance freedom with order had to have been truly “enlightening” to the people around him.
S.Johnson
I also agree that Locke is the most influential Enlightenment thinker, specifically to American ideals of free expression. While Locke’s thinking was not unique to the time, that is, Locke builds on the ideas of previous thinkers, such as the Levelers, his ideas and concepts were directly influential to Anglo-American political tradition. His ideas, while still radical, emphasized man in his natural state as man sought an inherent need for community and government, and in addition Locke's ideas emphasize the individual over the government, that is “government based on the consent of the governed” (91). Most importantly, I feel Locke exemplifies the most influential Enlightenment thinker due his direct influence to the Declaration of Independence, which embodies all that America, and therefore Americans, stands for. His focus on the “rights of the individual, that is, a person’s ‘life, liberty, and estate [property]’” is a radical idea in a conservative time which directly influences the ideals of governments, free expression, and equality that founded America.
Elizabeth Kubik
Locke emphasized the importance of individual rights and participation in a government that was entered into to protect private property. While his ideas were key to the formation of democracy in America, we discussed in class that his aspirations seemed to amount to an obscure utopian society. Trenchard and Gordon, however, under the pseudonym “Cato,” took Locke’s notions a step further by applying them to actual practices of the day. They urged public debate and dissent on specific issues such as the stamp tax on paper, arguing that a free press and criticism of the government were paramount to a free society. Leaders should know what the people were thinking in order to evolve and progress.
Cato, unlike Locke, acknowledged the imperfections of this society by addressing libel, which was viewed as a regrettable instance but one far preferable to lacking freedom of the press on the whole. This perspective seems more realistic, and therefore more practical and easier to apply to an existing society, than Locke’s useful, but idealistic, writings.
M Kadin
John Locke is the most important figure to American free expression because of his strong emphasis of reason triumphing over any unjust action of the state in order to protect one's life, liberty, or estate (property to Locke). These groundbreaking idea encompasses so many facets of US society that without them our national identity and way of lives would be quite different. To imagine Locke advocating rebellion in the case of the sovereign violating the social contract is extraordinary considering how governments of his time perceived their role and powers as so encompassing. These truly radical notions are what people came to expect as rights of every citizen, and had it not been for Locke they may not have been realized for some time to come.
Patrick K.
I believe Plato is one of the most important thinkers towards free expression. Why it is important to better justly than the unjustly? Plato answers, acting unjustly harm people soul and acting justly just nourishes it. Plato tells a story about the just and unjust. There was this solider named Er who was killed in a battle, travels to a place in between Heaven and Earth. Er pays attention to how each one of them was treated; he decides he wants to be with the just. While some choose wisely others preferred to be ignorant. Plato mentioned that foolish people act out of ignorance and wise people carefully evaluate what they do. Plato explains the sensible world of illusion and belief, the place where people reside. The philosopher has stepped outside this world into a world of knowledge and truth. Plato wrote his works as a dialogue among characters. The main character was Socrates, who voiced Plato's ideas. The real Socrates never wrote down his ideas.) Through the dialogue, Plato was trying to duplicate the way Socrates taught philosophy by engaging his students on a significant question. Plato thought that all things should reflect the ultimate good, so that the ideal society would be ordered in the exact same way that the ideal human being would be.
That last comment was Donald"s
The most important writer for me has been Milton. The fact that he accidently stumbled upon this freedom of the press movement makes him even more likeable. Afterall, Milton was just a normal guy until he took it upon his own hands to divorce his wife Mary. Divorce was not legal at the times, so he used his writing abilities to publish his oppinions in a pamphlet; that he felt might help to change the governments mind on divorce. What makes Milton so different from other Enlightenment writers (and why I like him so much) is his writing style. He writes in beautiful language, and constantly refers to the Bible, which was a very important and persuasive text of the time. He used his Protestant beliefs to encourage that individual ideas were very important and necessary in free and open debate . . .and God had given man the ability to do this. He was also very optimistic, because he believed that no matter what, in freedom of expression Truth would win out in the end. His texts are enjoyable and contain very strong enjoyable arguments, and that is why he is my favorite.
That last one was mine---courtney Chadney
Since my favorite writer of all time is Ralph Waldo Emerson, I would have to select the writer from the list who most closely resembles him. In that spirit, I would have to go with John Locke. His ideas of equality and property resonate in the American spirit and are reflected in many of Emerson's works. Locke's concept of a 'social contract' is something that I wish more people, American or not, would value. However, I do appreciate, and greatly believe in Plato's transcendental philosophy. Emerson too was a transcendentalist. Plato has served as the godfather, if you will, of all objective philosophies. And for that, he speaks to me.
-BZ
I have to agree with Courtney and say Milton. I am drawn to his language and reasoning, his argument and his style. I don't think any other writer at the time was so successful at couching his ideas in the conventional philosophy as to actually have them gain real traction. It's one thing to write a revolutionary manifesto and have no one read it, but it is entirely another to introduce fairly revolutionary ideas into society in a way that leads them to be listened to (although, Copeland notes, Milton's main text was not extremely popular at first publication). By pairing freedom of speech and press with religious ideas, Milton gives a truly convincing argument for free expression considering the context of his society.
While Milton's arguments tended to pertain to free speech in general, not an entire style of government, such as Locke, it's possible to criticize him for having too narrow of a scope. Yet I think that it is precisely this focus on freedom of speech exclusively that allows his text to be so powerful. He provides a multiplicity of examples and images to draw from, i.e. truth as a fountain preventing the muddy pool of conformity, that stay with the reader and make his argument so much more lasting.
That was Soren
I think each writer is important in the understanding of modern free expression. I cannot say that one is more important then the other. They each shared some of the same ideas and have plenty of their own. Since we are talking about modern free expression if we took out any of theses thinkers and writes then it would not be considered modern free expression. Plato, Milton, Lilburne, Locke, Hobbes, and Cato are all important and there is not one that I think is anymore important then the other. Modern free expression has taken bits and peaces from each thinker and without all of them and there ideas America could not be the way it is today.
Manga
Ashton Elder-
John Lilburne, in my opinion, was the most instrumental figure of all in the fight for freedom of expression. He was fearless, suffered greatly and never stopped fighting. He was one of the first to publish material that was not licensed by The Stationers' Company. This was a bold act on his part for it was dangerous and punished extremely harshly. Lilburne was indeed punished for his resistance to infringing on the freedom of the press by the Star Chamber. The penalty was horrific. He suffered for the rights of expression and refused, even when tortured, to back down from his beliefs.
Also, he developed Locke’s ideas long before Locke himself published any of his work. Lilburne introduced the idea of the innate freedom of rights of man before Locke, thus making him more important in the sense of progress towards what is now a basic right of freedom of expression. A so called leveller specifically interested in freedom of expression. His contribution to what became the document An Agreement of the People, played a vital role in the fight against the government for the freedom of expression.
Personally, I believe Plato to be the most important individual to help understand free expression. “The Republic” is still considered to be one of the most influential writings and many ideas of philosophy are derived from this particular work. Furthermore, I believe that because Plato laid a foundation of the understanding of political theory and other philosophical ideas, the philosopher’s of the enlightenment period such as Locke and Cato were able to build upon and expand on those ideas during their time. In “The Republic”, Plato’s reference to knowledge and the desire to know and understand can be seen to be related to the right to reason and free expression that Milton and Locke later argue. Plato also makes arguments against injustice after the trial of Socrates. These arguments are heavily based on the idea of reasoning against unjust and helps give a case study for later philosophers to learn and develop logical philosophical ideas from. This further concludes why I feel Plato is the most important figure due to his contributions from his early studies and works.
James Reed
Even though he was one of thesmaller readings we have had so far in my opinion Cato is the most influential writer. He was very precise and to the point in what he said and covered many of the same issues. He also has one of my favorite quotes in regards to free speech and guilt. Saying
"Guilt only dreads Liberty of Free Speech, which drags it out of its lurking Holes, and exposes its Deformityand Horror to Daylight."
This metaphor is in my opinion easy to understand and makes the idea of free speech and those that fear it easy to understand. He also discusses th idea of of slanderous speech directed at government and government officials which is also something that is easily relatable in his reading as well as in our current society. He covers all the major ideas with a conciseness that is easier to understand and easy to relate to.
Richard Why
to me the one that i like the most would have to be John Lilburne. the reason that i like Lilburne so much was that he wasnt just a guy who sat around and wrote about his belifs behind a desk, not that thats what the rest of the men did, but he was a soldierin the prlimentary army and was a captain, but resigned because the army tried to enforce a set religion which wasnt what he was fighting for. another reason is that he wasnt scared to preach his thought or thoeries in front of those who would condem him either. he was flogged, drug from the back of an ox car from one town to another and still he told his beliefs. he has also has given his contribution to the United States because of his "freedom rights" speeches and writings help make a foundation for the fifth amendment.
Jon Bell
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