PHIL 4820 - Seminar in Philosophy
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 42828,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Mark Vopat
Email: mvopat@ysu.edu
Course Description
In this seminar we will examine the history of free speech along with the arguments for and against the what is often termed the “absolutist” position. Although most people acknowledge the value of free speech, there is disagreement as to whether there are morally (and possibly legally) justifiable limits that may be place on certain types of speech, e.g., hate speech.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media | Jacob Mchangama | 9781541620346 |
| Required | Kindly Inquisitors | Jonathan Rauch | 9780226145938 |
| Required | On Liberty | John Stuart Mill | 9780915144433 |
| Required | "On Toleration" | John Locke | |
| Required | Only Words, Ch. 3 | Catherine Mackinnon | |
| Required | The Harm in Hate Speech, Chs. 3-4 | Jeremy Waldron | |
| Required | Words that Wound, Chs. 3-4 | Delgado, et. al. |
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Introduction to the Class/Mchangama: Ch. 1 Ancient Beginnings | Free Speech Overview/Early History | Ch 1. Commentary |
| 8/31 | Mchangama: Ch. 2 The Not So Dark Ages/Ch. 3 The Great Disruption | More History | Ch. 2 and Ch. 3 Commentaries |
| 9/7 | Locke: “On Toleration” | Locke's Argument for Religious Toleration | Locke Commentary |
| 9/14 | Mchangama: Ch. 7 Revolution and Reaction | Free Speech During America Revolution | Ch. 7 Commentary |
| 9/21 | J. S. Mill: On Liberty | Mill's Argument for Free Speech | Mill Commentary |
| 9/28 | Finish "On Liberty(?)/Mchangama: Ch. 9 White Man’s Burden | Race and Free Speech | Ch. 9 Commentary |
| 10/5 | Mchangama: Ch. 10 The Totalitarian Temptation | Totalitarian threat to free speech | Ch. 10 Commentary |
| 10/12 | Mchangama: Ch. 11 The Age of Human Rights | Humand Rights and Free Speech | Ch. 11 Commentary |
| 10/19 | Mchangama: Ch. 12 Free Speech Recession | Limitations on speech | Ch. 12 Commentary |
| 10/26 | Mchangama: Ch. 13 The Internet and the Future of Free Speech | Free Speech and the Internet | Ch. 13 Commentary |
| 11/2 | Mackinnon: Ch. 3 Equality and Speech | Prohibiting Hate Speech | Ch. 3 Commentary |
| 11/9 | Waldron: Ch. 3 Why Call Hate Speech Group Libel/Ch. 4 The Appearance of Hate | Hate Speech | Ch. 3 and Ch. 4 Commentaries |
| 11/16 | Delgado: Ch. 4 Words That Wound/Lawrence: Ch. 3 If He Hollers Let Him Go | Critical Race Theory/Race and Speech | Ch. 4 and Ch. 3 Commentaries |
| 11/23 | Rauch: Ch. 1 New Threats to Free Thought/Ch. 2 The Rise of Liberal Science | Rauch's Response to Hate Speech | Ch. 1 and Ch. 2 Commentaries |
| 11/30 | Rauch: Ch. 3 The Politics of Liberal Science | Rauch (Continued) | Ch. 3 Commentary |
| 12/7 | Finals Week | Papers/Videos/Reading Notebooks |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.