intro to philosophy

Intro to Philosophy

Paper #2 Question 1

The Internet also known as the “information superhighway of the world”, is increasingly becoming the most prevalent form in which to gather and distribute information. This issue brings up a number of moral dilemmas concerning the lack of censorship and editorial monitoring in this immense communication system. Some of the questions that have arisen are whether or not freedom of speech should be controlled, to an extent, and if so where would those barriers be drawn. Also, should the truth behind Internet publications be monitored, access to inappropriate material be denied to certain individuals, and should laws be passed to prevent the exploitation of unknowing bystanders. These issues are not only controversial but also extremely complicated to pursue through legal terms and justifications.

The First Amendment of the Constitution grants everyone in the United States the freedom of speech and press, thus the Internet phenomenon is protected regardless of the perverse nature which it is capable of presenting. Ultimately, it is possible for anyone to express his or her own beliefs, whether considered true or not, through the Internet. This in turn leads many unsuspecting youths and even some adults to believe the “lies” they read just because it is out there.

John Stuart Mill’s work, On Liberty explains Mill’s notion of freedom and his justifications behind his concepts. This work was originally published in 1859 but due to its advanced theories it is possible to apply these conceptions to the moral dilemmas the Internet possess. Mill’s philosophies are considered utilitarianistic, this means that the value something possesses is determined by its utility, also actions should be directed toward achieving the greatest happiness for the largest group of people. With this in mind we can further understand Mill’s theories on liberty, freedom and whether they should be controlled.

Mill’s explains that freedom of speech and expression are essential to the mental well being of mankind. To refuse a person the right to express their opinion because it is contrary to popular belief would be a great wrong. This is because without these different opinions there would be no need to justify those beliefs held widely. Lack of practice in explaining the attributes of certain beliefs will make them forgotten and these “truths” would lose meaning. Mill’s clarifies a misconception about truths with the following statement: truth always triumphs over persecution, is one