Freedom of Expression on Social Networks

Freedom of Expression on Social Networks

1. Social networks have captured the attention of various sectors of society, leading to extensive discussions on their impact on freedom of expression. A globalized world, with new platforms and technological applications, impacts both developed and developing countries. To a greater or lesser extent, these tools influence how we communicate. The question is: are they good or bad?

Freedom of Expression and the Internet

2. Freedom of expression on the Internet

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Hume’s Philosophy: Empiricism and Moral Sentiments

Knowledge

Empiricism Principles

  1. Empirical Principles: All thinking is derived from perception, be it internal or external. Hume, like Locke, considers both internal and external perception.
  2. Principle of Immanence: The contents of the mind are only pictures and images derived from perception. There is no immediate contact between the mind and the thing. The senses transmit the image from the thing to the mind.
  3. Principle of Copy: This is the great principle of Humean thought. According to this principle,
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Hume’s Empiricism: Knowledge, Morality, and Political Thought

Hume’s Philosophy

Theory of Knowledge: Empiricism

David Hume is a central figure in empiricism, the school of thought asserting that all knowledge originates from experience. Hume rejects the notion of innate ideas, arguing that the mind’s contents are perceptions, divided into impressions (direct sensory experiences) and ideas (copies of impressions).

Impressions are further categorized as those of sensation (from the senses, like pleasure and pain) and reflection (feelings reacting to sensory impressions

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Hellenistic Philosophy: Epicureans, Cynics, Stoics, Skeptics

Hellenistic Philosophy

The Hellenistic period saw the rise of several philosophical schools, branching from Aristotelian and Platonic thought. Here’s a look at some of the key schools:

The Epicureans

Epicurus, drawing from atomistic physics (though disagreeing with Democritus and Leucippus by introducing clinamens, or random deviations in atomic trajectories), aimed to achieve ethical freedom. They sought happiness through three principles:

  1. Intelligibility of sensation: Ensuring sensations are understood.
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Hobbes vs. Locke: Contrasting Views on State Purpose

Hobbes: Security as the State’s Purpose

Some writers believe the State’s purpose is to maintain security. Among these doctrines stands absolutism, with Hobbes prioritizing defense.

The State of Nature

Hobbes begins by questioning how civil society originated. To understand this, he asks us to imagine human beings before political power. This imaginary scenario is called the “state of nature.”

In this state:

  • Men live in freedom, without limitations. Hobbes calls this natural right.
  • Men are driven by self-
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Kant’s Theory of Knowledge: Sensitivity, Understanding, and Metaphysics

Kant’s Theory of Knowledge

The problem of knowledge in Kant and the development of his thought:

Kant addressed the problem of knowledge by distinguishing between two schools:

  • Sensitivity: This is passive and receives sensations.
  • Understanding: This is active and structures reality from ideas and concepts.

While the latter might seem rational (suggesting no experience is necessary to know reality), Kant, influenced by Hume, understood that our knowledge cannot move beyond experience. He argued that non-

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