Some platitudes about free speech

"When there are debates about whether people should have said things people found really offensive, people often invoke some general principle to defend their position. But the general principles seem to me either too simplistic (always shut up; always speak out) or so general that anyone can agree with them. I want to say (philosophically) 'it depends”' but (unphilosophically) 'I can’t give you a general rule to tell you what it depends on'."

Blog post at Talking Philosophy, based on my Thought for the Day for BBC Radio Bristol this morning