Professor Rae Langton will give a public lecture as part of her 2015-16 Mind Senior Research Fellowship.
It has been said that ‘evil’ speech should be fought with more speech, not bans (Brandeis), and this principle has been extended to hate speech and more.
There are familiar handicaps on counter-speech, but unnoticed scope as well. Counter-speech can work by retroactively ‘undoing', rather than refuting, ‘evil’ speech: by blocking its presuppositions, and (relatedly) its felicity conditions, thereby disabling its harmful force. This brings out an unnoticed dimension to counter-speech, and to the powers of ordinary hearers and bystanders.
A reception will be held at 7.15pm following the lecture.
Date:
Wednesday, 1 March, 2017 - 18:00 to 19:00
Event location:
Barbara White Room, Newnham College
