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A review by robmclaverty
Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought by Jonathan Rauch
5.0
This book could be described as a defence of freedom of speech, but I think that would be underselling it. It's more about how we, as a liberal and modern society, decide what is true and what is false.
In a short and extremely accessible introduction he explains how we have approached this problem through the ages, from the Greek Philosophers (who so nearly got it right) through the Catholic Inquisition (who got it oh so wrong!) before emerging after the Renaissance with enlightened tools like the scientific method and freedom of speech.
It challenges the reader first with questions which (these days) are fairly simple: why don't we give equal time to teach creationism as an alternative to evolution for example. Before moving into more challenging territory.
Written nearly 30 years ago, I can only see how this book has got more relevant. With a President that openly relies on "alternative facts"; conspiracy theories about COVID going mainstream; and an online culture where debate is settled by identity politics, we could all do with being reminded there is better way.
My only criticism of this book is that in places I found it overly repetitive. But other than that, I haven't come across a more complete, satisfying and unpolitical summary of why freedom of speech is so important for real meaningful progress.
In a short and extremely accessible introduction he explains how we have approached this problem through the ages, from the Greek Philosophers (who so nearly got it right) through the Catholic Inquisition (who got it oh so wrong!) before emerging after the Renaissance with enlightened tools like the scientific method and freedom of speech.
It challenges the reader first with questions which (these days) are fairly simple: why don't we give equal time to teach creationism as an alternative to evolution for example. Before moving into more challenging territory.
Written nearly 30 years ago, I can only see how this book has got more relevant. With a President that openly relies on "alternative facts"; conspiracy theories about COVID going mainstream; and an online culture where debate is settled by identity politics, we could all do with being reminded there is better way.
My only criticism of this book is that in places I found it overly repetitive. But other than that, I haven't come across a more complete, satisfying and unpolitical summary of why freedom of speech is so important for real meaningful progress.