Yesterday Sir Richard Sorabji came to give a lecture at Philosophy Department, Delhi University. The topic was: Should Free Speech be Beneficial Speech? An Indian Tradition from Ashoka to Gandhi. He answered the question in affirmative. He argued that free speech that was available to few group of people in ancient Greek was basically for benefit. He said in 4th CE during the reign of Julian too, free speech was seen that way. In the 17th century as well, there are evidences of free speech being construed that way. Thus, over the ages free speech is seen to have natural boundary. Hence, free speech that frustrates the benefit of free speech is not defensible.
Ashoka's Rock Edict in ancient India underlined the idea that free speech was for benefit. Akbar in 16th too practised free speech that way. Gandhi also used right to free speech for benefits.
