From: Mark Walker (mark@permanentend.org)
Date: Fri Jul 25 2003 - 08:27:21 MDT
What is so good about free speech on the ExI list? I guess one answer is
that, on balance, it serves to promote the good. But what is the basis of
this claim? In terms of its epistemological credentials we could ask whether
it is a priori or an empirical claim. Some have argued, for example, that
free speech is a right, and rights can be known a priori. Of course this
sins
against the sort of fallibilist epistemology that many of subscribe to. But
if it is an empirical claim, where is the that evidence free speech promotes
the ExI good? Is there some experimental results around that can confirm or
infirm this empirical hypothesis? If not, then perhaps a little experiment
is in order: free speech might be curbed by a list moderator for say 3
months and see if it improves list quality. Of course we will need some
operational definition of list quality.
Mark
Mark Walker, PhD
Research Associate, Philosophy, Trinity College
University of Toronto
Room 214 Gerald Larkin Building
15 Devonshire Place
Toronto
M5S 1H8
www.permanentend.org
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