The Copy Book

Judicial Iniquity

John Stuart Mill reminds us that governments and the courts must never be allowed to criminalise matters of belief or opinion.

Abridged
1858
By William Blake (1757-1827), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

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Judicial Iniquity

By William Blake (1757-1827), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. Source
X

The Head of Socrates, by William Blake (1757-1827). On the death of Socrates, see our post The Last Days of Socrates.

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Introduction

We often see those in power trying to use the courts to silence views they find objectionable, rather than tolerate them or engage with them. But Victorian philosopher John Stuart Mill recalled that many centuries ago, such supposedly high-minded legislation resulted in one of history’s worst miscarriages of justice – the execution of Socrates.

BORN in an age and country abounding in individual greatness, this man [Socrates] has been handed down to us by those who best knew both him and the age, as the most virtuous man in it; while we know him as the head and prototype of all subsequent teachers of virtue, the source equally of the lofty inspiration of Plato and the judicious utilitarianism of Aristotle, the two headsprings of ethical as of all other philosophy.

This acknowledged master of all the eminent thinkers who have since lived was put to death by his countrymen, after a judicial conviction, for impiety and immorality. Impiety, in denying the gods recognised by the State; indeed his accuser asserted that he believed in no gods at all. Immorality, in being, by his doctrines and instructions, a “corruptor of youth.” Of these charges the tribunal, there is every ground for believing, honestly found him guilty, and condemned the man who probably of all then born had deserved best of mankind, to be put to death as a criminal.

Abridged

Abridged from ‘On Liberty’, by John Stuart Mill (1806-1873).

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Word Games

Spinners Find in Think and Speak

For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1 He. Judicial. Mankind.

2 Condemn. Instruction. Youth.

3 Abound. Equal. We.

Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)

Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak

Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1. Youth. 2. Source. 3. State. 4. Hand. 5. Great. 6. Philosophy. 7. Ground. 8. Death. 9. God.

Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.

Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak

Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1 Man. 2 Source. 3 Charge. 4 Hand. 5 State. 6 Age.

Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.

High Tiles Find in Think and Speak

Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?

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