The Illusion of the Free Press

by John Charney

Overview

This book explores the relationship between truth and freedom in the free press. It argues that the relationship is problematic because the free press implies a competition between plural ideas, whereas truth is univocal. Based on this tension the book claims that the idea of a free press is premised on an epistemological illusion. This illusion enables society to maintain that the world it perceives through the press corresponds to the world as it actually exists, explaining why defenders of the free press continue to rely on its capacity to discover the truth, despite economic conditions and technological innovations undermining much of its independence. The book invites the reader to reconsider the philosophical foundations, constitutional justifications, and structure and functions of the free press, and whether the institution can, in fact, realise both freedom and truth. It will be of great interest to anyone concerned in the role and value of the free press in the modern world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781509938247
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/28/2020
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

John Charney is Associate Professor of Constitutional Law at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgements xix

1 Free Press: Necessary Illusions 1

I Introduction 1

II The Critique of the Political Economy of the Press 2

A Strategic Limitations of the Epistemological Approach 6

B Marcuse's Radical Way 8

III Technological Progress and the Construction of Social Reality 14

IV Re-thinking the Illusion of the Free Press 19

2 The Classic Theory and the Quest for Truth 25

I Introduction 25

II John Milton: The Origins of the Theory 26

III The Struggle for the Freedom of the Press 32

A The Political Dimension 32

B The Epistemological Dimension 37

IV John Stuart Mill and the Theory of Truth 40

A The Central Argument 43

B The Meaning of Truth 46

i Objective Truth and the Theocentric Mode of Knowledge 48

ii Perspectival Truth and its Practical Value 50

V Conclusions 54

3 Truth and Politics: Democratic Justifications of a Free Press 57

I Introduction 57

II Politics and Truth 59

III Holmes and the Marketplace of Ideas 63

IV Truth and Politics: Alexander Meiklejohn and the Critique of the Marketplace of Ideas 67

V Robert Post's Participatory Democracy: Politics without Truth 72

A The Unavoidability of Truth 74

i The Truth-seeking Purpose 75

ii The Truth of Democracy 78

VI Free Press and the Politics of Truth 80

VII Conclusions 83

4 Freedom of Speech and Autonomy: Towards the Discovery of the True Self 85

I Introduction 85

II Early Techniques of Self-discovery 86

III Personal Autonomy and Freedom of Speech 92

A Ronald Dworkin and the Good Life 94

B The First Scanlon 96

IV Autonomy and Authenticity: Back to the True Self 100

A The Second Scanlon 102

B Joseph Raz: Integrity and Personal Identification 104

V The Free Press and Self-discovery 109

A The Free Press and the Discovery of the True Self 113

B A Diverse Press for a Flexible Self 115

C A Limited Press for a Substantive Self 116

5 Freedom and Truth 119

I Introduction 119

II Truth, Freedom and the Political 121

III Freedom as Non-Interference: Origins and Consolidation of Market Domination 126

IV Domination and the Truth-seeking Purpose of the Press 134

V Re-thinking the Relationship between Truth and Freedom 140

Conclusion 147

Bibliography 153

Index 161

Editorial Reviews

"An interesting contribution to the ongoing discussion about the meaning of free speech, press freedom and the freedom of politics in general. (Translated from the original Spanish)" --Derecho y Crítica Social

From the Publisher