A Utilitarian Case for Intellectual Freedom in Libraries

Abstract

The article begins with an outline of the history of censorship and intellectual and expressive freedom in American libraries, chiefly from the last quarter of the nineteenth century until the Social Responsibility movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Discussion of the two main types of ethical theory, utilitarianism and deontology, is next. Then the deontological position on intellectual freedom is presented in the context of its theory of rights. The discussion of deontology is followed by a utilitarian criticism of the deontological defense of intellectual freedom. Then a utilitarian defense of intellectual freedom is offered and applied to libraries. The article concludes by arguing that, even though in theory utilitarianism would countenance some censorship, in practice the utilitarian will support complete intellectual freedom. It is maintained that libraries have a special role to play in promoting unconditional intellectual freedom.