Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human Dignity

This study discusses the issue of offence to sensibilities as possible grounds for limiting freedom of expression. This issue is constantly brought to the public agenda, as for example, in the limitation imposed in Israel on the playing of Richard Wagner’s music by Israeli orchestras. The proposed t...

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Main Author: Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Gonzaga Library Publishing 2020-12-01
Series:Journal of Hate Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/152
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spelling doaj-346866866afd49049a841f4f3787ecf42021-01-11T05:23:08ZengGonzaga Library PublishingJournal of Hate Studies2169-74422020-12-0116110.33972/jhs.152168Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human DignityRaphael Cohen-Almagor0University of HullThis study discusses the issue of offence to sensibilities as possible grounds for limiting freedom of expression. This issue is constantly brought to the public agenda, as for example, in the limitation imposed in Israel on the playing of Richard Wagner’s music by Israeli orchestras. The proposed thesis is as follows: The Offence to Sensibilities Argument will take precedence over free expression only in cases where profound and direct damage is inflicted upon the sensibilities of individuals or a target group, undermining their dignity, especially when the speaker’s intentions are to offend the target individual/group under circumstances in which the individual or target group cannot avoid. In every case, it is incumbent upon those who wish to limit expression to examine the content of the expression and its manner, the duration and intensity of the expression, the frequency of the offence, the speaker’s intentions, the circumstances and the likely consequences of the offensive speech. Psychologists should be consulted concerning the severity of each offence.https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/152freedom of expressionfeinbergharmoffenceskokiewagner
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Raphael Cohen-Almagor
spellingShingle Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human Dignity
Journal of Hate Studies
freedom of expression
feinberg
harm
offence
skokie
wagner
author_facet Raphael Cohen-Almagor
author_sort Raphael Cohen-Almagor
title Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human Dignity
title_short Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human Dignity
title_full Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human Dignity
title_fullStr Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human Dignity
title_full_unstemmed Taking Profound Offence Seriously: Freedom of Speech v. Human Dignity
title_sort taking profound offence seriously: freedom of speech v. human dignity
publisher Gonzaga Library Publishing
series Journal of Hate Studies
issn 2169-7442
publishDate 2020-12-01
description This study discusses the issue of offence to sensibilities as possible grounds for limiting freedom of expression. This issue is constantly brought to the public agenda, as for example, in the limitation imposed in Israel on the playing of Richard Wagner’s music by Israeli orchestras. The proposed thesis is as follows: The Offence to Sensibilities Argument will take precedence over free expression only in cases where profound and direct damage is inflicted upon the sensibilities of individuals or a target group, undermining their dignity, especially when the speaker’s intentions are to offend the target individual/group under circumstances in which the individual or target group cannot avoid. In every case, it is incumbent upon those who wish to limit expression to examine the content of the expression and its manner, the duration and intensity of the expression, the frequency of the offence, the speaker’s intentions, the circumstances and the likely consequences of the offensive speech. Psychologists should be consulted concerning the severity of each offence.
topic freedom of expression
feinberg
harm
offence
skokie
wagner
url https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/152
work_keys_str_mv AT raphaelcohenalmagor takingprofoundoffenceseriouslyfreedomofspeechvhumandignity
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