With Friends Like These: On the Role of Presupposition in Pseudo-Defenses of Free Speech on Campus

Key Points

• Celebrated defenses of free speech may undermine their own goals in the long run.
• The analysis of these pseudo-defenses highlights fundamental presuppositions at play.
• This observational analysis challenges conventional views about open inquiry and its implications for academic freedom.
• The findings suggest a relatively easy fix to address the threats posed by these pseudo-defenses.