Re:Change to Chinese university's charter dropping 'freedom ...
by roenxi on Thursday December 19, 2019 @02:19PM
(#21838227)
Freedom of thought is different from freedom of speech. There is a little overlap, but freedom of speech is a broader concept.
It is completely possible to have freedom of thought without having the freedom to organise a protest or broadly disseminate an idea. Freedom of thought only requires enough freedom of speech to publish an objectionable academic paper in some quiet corner of the intellectual world.
It is a subtle distinction but freedom of speech implies a freedom to organise action based on speech. Freedom of thought doesn't have that implication. One can think without acting, but one can't organise mass action without speech.
It is completely possible to have freedom of thought without having the freedom to organise a protest or broadly disseminate an idea. Freedom of thought only requires enough freedom of speech to publish an objectionable academic paper in some quiet corner of the intellectual world.
It is a subtle distinction but freedom of speech implies a freedom to organise action based on speech. Freedom of thought doesn't have that implication. One can think without acting, but one can't organise mass action without speech.