#21 - Columnist: Although there is and should be complete

[hassan66]

Hi,

I was between B and C and ultimately (incorrectly) chose B because I thought that C was worded too strongly-- "not morally acceptable" seemed to be too much of a stretch from "not nothing wrong." B left it more open and seemed better as an umbrella principle. Can someone please help clarify the difference between B and C?

Thank you!

[Adam Tyson]

The key to answer C, hasan, is "not thereby morally acceptable." (emphasis added)

That language doesn't mean that publishing such books is NOT morally acceptable. It means that allowing them to be published doesn't make them morally acceptable. In other words, they can still be considered immoral, even though their publication is allowed on the grounds of free speech.

Answer B falls short of conforming to the principle in that it never gets into the "nothing wrong" side of the equation. We need a judgment that shows that there is complete freedom of expression, AND that such freedom does not support a determination that the things being expressed are all acceptable. They can still be wrong, even if they are allowed. Answer C does that, while answer B stops before ever discussing the right/wrong issue.