Extension
Activities
1) Possible topics for extended classroom discussions:
- What would Mill’s argument say about pornography as an expression? Are pornographic expressions valuable in some way? If so, in what way? If not, why not?
- What would Mill’s argument say about slander? Is there any value in defaming someone’s character in public?
- What would Mill’s argument say about obscene form of speech? For example, is cursing somehow valuable? If so, how so? If not, why not?
- What would Mill’s argument say about deliberate lying?
- What would Mill’s argument say about speech that intends to promote violence?
2) Another Extension Activity outside the classroom could take the form of students researching the issue of freedom speech on the Internet. For example, it would probably be instructive to find out how freedom of speech is restricted in the United States, and also how it is restricted in other countries. This would allow the students to extend their knowledge of the issue outside their cultural context. The research should be followed by class discussion centering on the following questions: If freedom of speech is sometimes severely restricted either in United States or in other countries, what is the reason for this? Why is freedom of speech considered harmful or even dangerous in these instances discussed? Why, for example, would any government censor freedom of the press (including television)? Why are certain issues censored on the Internet? When freedom of speech is restricted, what sorts of values are being valued instead of the freedom of expression? For this exercise, see the Internet sources in the bibliography.
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