New Books Network Jacob Mchangama, "Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media" (Basic Books, 2022)
Feb 8, 2026
Jacob Mchangama, founder of the think tank Justitia and author of Free Speech, A History from Socrates to Social Media, traces free expression from ancient Athens to the digital age. He explores decentralized power, medieval Muslim skeptics, the printing press, and how censorship often backfires. Short, wide-ranging, and provocative reflections on the recurring dynamics of speech and authority.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Athens' Early Free Speech Practices
- Ancient Athens developed political speech norms like isegoria and cultural tolerance like parrhesia that resemble modern free speech practices.
- These practices allowed criticism of the political system and set Athens apart from more repressive contemporaries like Sparta.
Medieval Islamic Free Thinkers
- Ibn al-Rawandi and al-Razi emerge as radical free thinkers in the 9th–10th century Islamic world who challenged religious orthodoxy.
- Their critiques used reason as the ultimate authority and exceeded contemporary Western medieval skepticism.
Universities Sparked Intellectual Change
- Medieval universities complicated the 'Dark Ages' trope by fostering inquiry via access to Aristotelian thought and institutional competition.
- This 'culture of poking around' helped seed later scientific and philosophical revolutions in Europe.
