📚 Milton’s Areopagitica - Free Speech, Then & Now

### 📚 Milton’s Areopagitica - Free Speech, Then & Now

No homework. Printed excerpts. Speak or listen—both fine.

Description
In 1644, John Milton wrote a fierce plea against licensing books before publication, an argument for letting ideas meet in the open. We’ll read the most striking passages from Areopagitica (Roughly 30 pages) and ask how they land in 2025: What does it mean to test truth in public? When does controlling speech help, or backfire? And what would a fair “rules of the road” look like for modern platforms, classrooms, and libraries?

Expect short, punchy quotes; a quick margin gloss so the 17th‑century prose feels clear; and three focused questions that keep the conversation practical.

How we’ll do it (simple)

• Read 6–8 short pull‑quotes together (printed, with quick notes).
• Discuss three lenses: truth‑testing, harm, and responsibility.
• Close with one line you’d keep—or reject—from Milton’s case.

When & where
🗓️ Sat, Oct 11, 2025 • 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 Central Library — L4 North (492) Meeting Room
🎟️ Cap 12–15 + waitlist • Buddy seats welcome