Liberalism, Toleration, and Freedom of Speech

Principal Investigator
Prof. Bradford Skow and Prof. Alex Byrne, Linguistics and Philosophy
Fund: d'Arbeloff Fund
Funding Period: AY2023
Department/Lab/Center: Linguistics & Philosophy
Educational Initiative: GIRs

We propose to develop a new subject titled "Liberalism, Toleration, and Freedom of Speech" for the philosophy curriculum. The subject will analyze philosophical arguments for and against toleration and freedom. Readings will be historical (e.g. John Locke and John Stuart Mill) and contemporary. For the historical material, context will also be discussed, especially the religious wars of the 17th century and the place of toleration and freedom in Enlightenment thought more generally.