Justifications of Freedom of Speech:Towards a Double-grounded Non-consequentialist Approach

Kabasakal Badamchi, Devrim

Abstract

This article aims to develop a ground for freedom of speech that combines two justifications – democratic participation and autonomy. First, it is argued that consequentialist justifications, such as discovery of truth and personal development, are far from providing a strong justification for free speech due to their reliance on uncertain empirical validation. Second, it is claimed that a stronger and better ground for free speech can be constructed by articulating two non-consequentialist justifications for free speech – democratic participation and autonomy. This articulation, which I call the double-grounded non-consequentialist justification for free speech, considers autonomy and democratic participation as complementary principles. In this sense, a double-grounded justification engages justification as autonomy and democratic participation in a dialogue in order to provide remedies for the specific weaknesses of these two positions.

Citation

Kabasakal Badamchi, D. (2015). Justifications of Freedom of Speech:Towards a Double-grounded Non-consequentialist Approach. Philosophy and Social Criticism, 41(9), 907-927. https://doi.org/10.1177/0191453714564457

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 12, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Dec 24, 2014
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Sep 16, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 16, 2019
• Journal: Philosophy and Social Criticism
• Print ISSN: 0191-4537
• Electronic ISSN: 1461-734X
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 41
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 907-927
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0191453714564457
• Keywords: autonomy, democratic participation, free speech, free speech principle, freedom of expression