As I read through the Eight Values of Free Expression, to me personally, three of them stuck out as being very important, because of their relevance to my chosen field of study: the Marketplace of Ideas, Individual Self-Fulfillment (aka. Self-Actualization), and Promote Innovation. In my mind, these three values are highly intertwined with Promoting Innovation being the central value that the other two culminate into. These three values of free expression are crucial to the scientific community and advancements in scientific innovations, without them the world may very well be without many life-saving or revolutionary discoveries and innovations.
To me, when applied to scientific innovation, the Marketplace of Ideas is the concept that when ideas and inventions are critiqued or criticized, the truth will eventually win. Many times throughout history, people have made remarkable discoveries that were met with skepticism and firmly rejected by a scientific society or government. The smallpox vaccine is a perfect example of this. In the 1700s, Dr. Edward Jenner created a successful smallpox vaccine, the first vaccine ever developed. His paper was rejected by the Royal Society and spurned by the Church and others, but he continued developing his vaccine.True to the concept of the Marketplace of Ideas, science eventually came out on top: in 1980, smallpox had officially been eradicated from the world. The scientific community relies on feedback and critiques to refine a theory or invention. Challenging ideas is healthy when it results in improvement and advancement.
Self-Actualization, the idea that freedom of expression enables individuals to create their own identities and is an important tool for connecting with others and experiencing different lifestyles, perspectives, professions, and belief systems. Without this interaction, can anyone truly know who they are or what they want to do with their lives if they have not been allowed to experience different options? Growing up, kids say they want to be astronauts, ballerinas, or teachers, and it is this principle that allows them the freedom to choose their own path based on their passions and find others who share them. My family jokes that I would’ve been a great attorney or doctor, but I have no interest in studying law or attending medical school. While I may have some natural proclivity for those fields, the First Amendment grants me the freedom to explore other biological fields. Freedom of speech and exposure to diverse opinions and ideas can also lead to open-mindedness, which is a necessity for progress and innovation.
Pursuit of truth, constructive criticism, and an open mind are both critical for Promotion of Innovation, which is the principle by which freedom of expression allows us to form creative and inventive communities. We as Americans are free to invent, create, and collaborate. When everyone is free to give and receive criticism, ideally constructive, individuals are able to grow in their abilities and refine their ideas through that exchange.
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