Banning knowledge

[thenelli01]

Would it ever be okay to ban some speech by law?

 

 The Tsarnaev brothers reportedly found out how to make a homemade bomb off the internet (true or not, is irrelevant). If we agree that individuals should not have the right to possess bombs of that magnitude, should the information on how to make a bomb, specifically from the internet, be banned?

[mdegges]

No, never. Censorship is a violation of man's rights, specifically "his freedom to act on his own judgment by his own voluntary, uncoerced choice." It's our right to read or watch whatever we want, but what we do with that knowledge is up to us. I can read hundreds of articles about how to make homemade bombs- but that doesn't mean I'm going to make one, detonate it in a public area, and kill innocent people. This information has been available for decades, but there have only been a few cases where men have used it to kill people. Our rights shouldn't be infringed upon because of a few crazy apples. On another note, we've already seen what can happen when the government has the power to decide what books or online information it's people can and cannot read; it doesn't lead to anything pretty.

[Hairnet]

  Also banning knowledge is an extremely difficult thing to do without it spreading to other forms of knowledge.

 

  Bomb making is largely understanding chemistry and some mechanics.  Even if you ban explicit instructions, anyone who understands some chemistry can figure it out with some effort. The law will either be pointless or it will end up mutating into a large set of rules regulating who can study science and technology. That is dystopia territory right there. 

 

  http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Adeptus_Mechanicus#.UX4Hr29BmSo

[Dormin111]

In addition to what has been said, bomb making isn't always a bad thing. It can be a recreational activity or even a defense tool against governmental and non-governmental thugs.

[Nicky]

Would it ever be okay to ban some speech by law?

 

 The Tsarnaev brothers reportedly found out how to make a homemade bomb off the internet (true or not, is irrelevant). If we agree that individuals should not have the right to possess bombs of that magnitude, should the information on how to make a bomb, specifically from the internet, be banned?

In general, the government shouldn't be banning things that don't constitute proof of criminal intentions, or hasn't been produced through criminal activity to begin with.

 

Possessing that information alone is not proof enough of criminal plans. But it can serve as evidence, coupled with other information. In other words, it also isn't necessary to ban the information, since the government has other means of preventing bombings.

[FrolicsomeQuipster]

If you have a link to a how to article like"How to kill as many people as possible", and its not funny, I'll give it thumbs down ok?

[tadmjones]

I think you would have to determine if disemination of information of any particular kind is in fact the use of force. As to the practical aspect of banning, how do you(? government?) stop or prohibit internet posting control all individuals with access or owners of sites/servers?