Censorship is a huge problem, and will continue to proliferate as the means of expression become more widespread. But I think there is hope. As soon as the cowardly fear of words and voices is proven to be illusory (which, given the ease with which we can communicate, is only a matter of time), the fashionable idea that articulated sounds, marks on paper, or pixelated letters can be the same as violence will become increasingly untenable, and its believers increasingly silly. — NOS4A2
I refuse to acknowledge the notion that “speech has consequences” beyond the immediate physical effects, for instance the movement of breath from the mouth or the application of ink to paper. Since no one but myself can control my motor cortex, I believe the activities you described are the consequence of other, more personal factors. But I can understand the folk psychology of the notion.
The problem with this notion, as I see it, is that if speech is to be blamed for political skirmishes or violence, it can be blamed for any and all opposite effects. If you and I hear the same speech, but you go out and riot while I go home and read a book, we remain ignorant to the real reasons why you did one thing and I did another. Free speech becomes the innocent victim. — NOS4A2
I refuse to acknowledge the notion that “speech has consequences” beyond the immediate physical effects, for instance the movement of breath from the mouth or the application of ink to paper. Since no one but myself can control my motor cortex, I believe the activities you described are the consequence of other, more personal factors. But I can understand the folk psychology of the notion. — NOS4A2
↪Isaac
How? — NOS4A2
A free society, where free speech is plentiful, will see political skirmishes in the streets because speech has consequences. Plentiful free speech doesn't mean that all consequences have to be tolerated. — Bitter Crank
I refuse to acknowledge the notion that “speech has consequences” beyond the immediate physical effects, for instance the movement of breath from the mouth or the application of ink to paper. Since no one but myself can control my motor cortex, I believe the activities you described are the consequence of other, more personal factors. But I can understand the folk psychology of the notion. — NOS4A2
The thing is that it is the other way around already: People at large judge a company by its employees. If you know a guy who works for such and such company, and you don't like him, chances are you're going to hire some other company for some work you need done.Outside of company time, it's no business of the company what a person says or does. — counterpunch
Not only stupid, but ignorant. Can you say rhetoric? The art of persuasion? And never mind Aristotle's measly Rhetoric when you can have Quintillian's whole bookshelf on the subject. And these just two of thousands. Every letter write, every poet, every person who attempts literature of any kind, in particular every speech writer. Every mother who calls her child. These just examples; in short every person who communicates. Btw, nos4, are you aware of music? Do you know what that is? As usual you are an insult to these forums. You just don't usually display this "level" of ignorance.
How, in your neuroscientific view, is the word causing me to do any of this? — NOS4A2
I’ve also seen a few posts in this thread which seem to be unable to cause a single response, not only from me but from others. Were these pixels, arranged as they were, lacking the causal force? — NOS4A2
Did the “signals” travel down the wrong neurons? — NOS4A2
So far all you’ve done is written about me in the passive voice and the words in the active one. I think it should be the other way about. — NOS4A2
The issue with social media is that it has empowered a very small minority to have a very large voice, it's really got not much to do with larger society. Even though your OP is fearmongering, most of the responses to you just go the other way and pretend like there's fairness in the way Twitter mobs treat people, which is silly. It's not the state that's trying to silence you, it's random people but I don't think there's anything which can be done about that. People have a right to call you a racist homophobe and demand you be fired - free speech has to allow that and if your employer sacks you because thousands of people said they'd boycott the business or because it's bad publicity otherwise then that's their decision.
Do you have an intelligent solution for us to consider or are you just going to complain generally about an exaggerated concern? Also, how often does this happen? — Judaka
I just explained that. It's not complicated. The sound (or image) stimulates a neuron sufficiently for it to stimulate one to which it is proximate. At the end of that chain is the instruction to your muscles to type. What is it you're not understanding about that?
It is I who interprets the data and supplies the meaning to the symbols. — NOS4A2
I don't know about that, but last time I checked, Stephen Hawking was certainly dead. — Olivier5
Am I to understand that your solution is to... demand that people behave themselves? BLM and Antifa are using free speech too, what do you suggest be done about it?
I suggest that whenever you hear that someone has been unfairly criticised for being politically incorrect or whatever, go write to that business or person showing your support. That's something you can do. — Judaka
Liberty is dead. The idea of liberty is for an advanced society. America is not there yet. We have proven America no longer deserves liberty nor safety and prefers a form of statist slavery.. — Nikolas
Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.
Opposing free speech in schools, the media, political correctness etc. is instead rewarded. — Nikolas
I refuse to acknowledge the notion that “speech has consequences” beyond the immediate physical effects, for instance the movement of breath from the mouth or the application of ink to paper. — NOS4A2
Philosophy 1 -- Hawking 0 — Kenosha Kid
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