“We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavouring to stifle is a false opinion; and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still.”John Stuart Mill · Despre libertate · 1859 · capitolul II
Censoring an opinion is always an evil, regardless of whether it is false or not.
Mill argues that censorship is always harmful for two reasons. First, we can never be absolutely certain that the suppressed opinion is wrong – history shows many truths were initially rejected. Second, even a false opinion has value: confronting it strengthens truth and prevents dogmatism. For example, the debate about evolution versus creationism, even if one is false, helps clarify the evidence.
Why it matters Today, this warns us against hasty censorship on social media or in universities, emphasizing the value of open debate.