Freedom Center Talk: Angelo Corlett

The Freedom Center Spring 2020 colloquium series presents Angelo Corlett, Professor of Philosophy San Diego State University.

We are happy to host another U of A Philosophy alumnus this semester! Angelo Corlett studied under Joel Feinberg, Keith Lehrer, Alvin Goldman, and John Pollock, and he earned his PhD here in 1992. He is now Professor of Philosophy and Ethics at San Diego State University. Professor Corlett works on a host of fascinating issues, such as racism, apology, forgiveness, responsibility, punishment, and social knowledge. He is also the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Ethics. Professor Corlett's talk will criticize "offensiphobia", i.e., the belief that academic freedom ought to be censored because of the mere offensiveness of certain kinds of expressions.

Abstract:
Offensiphobia is the widespread belief that offensive expressions ought to be prohibited and the movement to prohibit them. While offensive expressions, including hateful ones, are protected by established First Amendment law, there are a cluster of related moral arguments which render offensiphobia highly problematic. So offensiphobia, a movement which is prevalent throughout the United States of America, has inadequate grounding and must be rejected as it seeks to, or actually does, violate freedom of expression rights, especially in higher educational contexts.  

We welcome faculty, students, and staff of the Philosophy and Moral Science Departments as well as members of the wider University community.