The Illusion of the Free Press

Dr John Charney (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile)

$59.99

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Hart Publishing
28 May 2020

Constitutional & administrative law; Freedom of expression law; Entertainment & media law

This book explores the relationship between truth and freedom in the free press. It argues that the relationship is problematic because the free press implies a competition between plural ideas, whereas truth is univocal. Based on this tension the book claims that the idea of a free press is premised on an epistemological illusion. This illusion enables society to maintain that the world it perceives through the press corresponds to the world as it actually exists, explaining why defenders of the free press continue to rely on its capacity to discover the truth, despite economic conditions and technological innovations undermining much of its independence. The book invites the reader to reconsider the philosophical foundations, constitutional justifications, and structure and functions of the free press, and whether the institution can, in fact, realise both freedom and truth. It will be of great interest to anyone concerned in the role and value of the free press in the modern world.

By: Dr John Charney (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Chile)
Imprint: Hart Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 299g
ISBN: 9781509938247
ISBN 10: 1509938249
Pages: 216
Publication Date: 28 May 2020
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

1. Free Press: Necessary Illusions I. Introduction II. The Critique of the Political Economy of the Press III. Technological Progress and the Construction of Social Reality IV. Re-thinking the Illusion of the Free Press 2. The Classic Theory and the Quest for Truth I. Introduction II. John Milton: The Origins of the Theory III. The Struggle for the Freedom of the Press IV. John Stuart Mill and the Theory of Truth V. Conclusions 3. Truth and Politics: Democratic Justifications of a Free Press I. Introduction II. Politics and Truth III. Holmes and the Marketplace of Ideas IV. Truth and Politics: Alexander Meiklejohn and the Critique of the Marketplace of Ideas V. Robert Post’s Participatory Democracy: Politics without Truth VI. Free Press and the Politics of Truth VII. Conclusions 4. Freedom of Speech and Autonomy: Towards the Discovery of the True Self I. Introduction II. Early Techniques of Self-discovery III. Personal Autonomy and Freedom of Speech IV. Autonomy and Authenticity: Back to the True Self V. The Free Press and Self-discovery 5. Freedom and Truth I. Introduction II. Truth, Freedom and the Political III. Freedom as Non-Interference: Origins and Consolidation of Market Domination IV. Domination and the Truth-seeking Purpose of the Press V. Re-thinking the Relationship between Truth and Freedom Conclusion

John Charney is Associate Professor of Constitutional Law at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.

Reviews for The Illusion of the Free Press

An interesting contribution to the ongoing discussion about the meaning of free speech, press freedom and the freedom of politics in general. (Translated from the original Spanish) -- Pablo Marshall, Universidad Austral de Chile * Derecho y Crítica Social * One of the many virtues of John Charney’s The Illusion of the Free Press is that it situates its analysis of truth-discovery in the midst of increasingly grim realities for 21st-century journalism … Charney does a fine job of setting the scene for why we should all be concerned about the press’s diminished state. He should also be commended for his clear organisation, lucid writing, creative argumentation and intellectual honesty in taking on such a challenging topic of scholarly research. -- Randall Stephenson * Oxford Journal of Legal Studies *