Final exam (take home) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Final exam (take home) - Essay Example be allowed to bring about the absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment on practical, speculative theoretical scientist or moral subjects (Bennet, 2008). The freedom of expression is indispensable in attempting to drive different viewpoints to their logical conclusions as opposed limiting them because of the social embarrassment they may cause. This argument is inspired in part by the fact that in the attempt to save face, certain comments or opinion that are considered to be in bad taste tend to be discouraged without being objectify considered. Nevertheless, despite the bold claims, he proposes that there should be some rules to govern the action of politicians, which he refers to as the harm principle (Bennet, 2008). On the face value, one may imagine that Mill is agitating for people to have leave to use their opinions to cause others harm perhaps by inciting them to violence. While the argument has merit in that supports the freedom of expression, his insistence that all opinions should be tolerable lacks moral ground given that some of the opinions can cause harm even if they are not carried out. For example, if someone voices an opinion that Jews deserved to be victimized in the Holocaust through print media or in a paper, which Mills would consider acceptable, it would probably have a negative psychological effect on survivors or their families. Clearly, although the contention for freedom of speech is well intended, if pursued to its logical conclusion, it would be very misleading. Ultimately, those who defend the right to Mills version of freedom of speech often find it difficult to support their position when it is proved that this freedom even in the abstract can harm others. However, he makes a very valid point in stating that dissenting voices should never be silenced since as history has proven in many occasions, the fact that an opinion is held by many people does not necessarily make it correct. By emphasizing that all opinions should be