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Should books on discredited theories be banned from libraries?
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by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | October 23, 2009 at 10:20 am
369 views | 52 Recommendations | 19 comments
Should the banning of books be allowed in a free, pluralist democracy?
This article raises a very interesting question: Should all books involving discredited theories be banned from public libraries? What about theories which are discredited, and then regain credit decades later, which has happened in the areas of cancer alternative treatments, and with some other theory which is ambiguous?
A Chicago group for ' Ex-Gays' is asking that libraries not refuse to stock its books. If the theory is false, it should speak its falsehood for itself. Is the banning of books in a free democracy ever justified? Who gets to decide what is or is not discredited, philosophically speaking? And where would one draw the line? What of the idea that vaccines cause autism, which although discredited, is still held as a belief by many who have an alternative view? What of alternative quantum theory, which hard science scoffs at?
Should there be shelves labeled "PseudoScience", but that may yet be in the eye of the beholder. Libraries only have so much shelving capacity, and yet it seems that all sorts of information should be there, in a free society.
As our founding father James Madison said, "Ambition will counteract ambition": If I want to read about the flat-earth theory, I will certainly be counteracted if I submit this as a college science paper or to a local newspaper.
Much of theory is ambiguous, and as the philosopher John Stuart Mill proposed, the free marketplace of ideas is the hallmark of a free society.
A Chicago-based group called Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gaysis urging libraries to carry literature about reformed homosexuals.
The national non-profit organization is arguing that the alleged successes of their "gay reversal" movement are not being heard because libraries refuse to carry their books, such as You Don't Have to Be Gay and A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality.
One has to wonder just what genre those books would fall under, exactly.
"According to Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the [American Library Association's] Office for Intellectual Freedom, ALA policy recommends diversity in book collection development by libraries, regardless of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. However, Caldwell-Stone refuses to state whether that diversity policy includes ex-gay books," PFOX executive director Regina Griggs said in a press release.
"Books about leaving homosexuality are censored in most high school libraries, although gay-affirming books for youth are readily available," she continued.
However, the American Psychological Association, along with most mainstream medical groups, has said that mental health professionals and parents should avoid telling young people that they can change their sexual orientation.
In 2008, the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, and National Association of Social Workers stated in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of California:
"Sexual orientation has proved to be generally impervious to interventions intended to change it, which are sometimes referred to as 'reparative therapy.' No scientifically adequate research has shown that such interventions are effective or safe." (PDF)[. . . ]
[. . . ]If people are truly seeking these titles, we can't expect them to just visit Amazon or Borders or Barnes & Noble or one of the hundreds of bookstores online. No, libraries should be required to carry all documents, accredited or not.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (19)
at 11:26 on October 23rd, 2009
I guess if there is a call for it then the libraries can stock it if they want; I don't agree with stiffling knowledge, but there is only so much shelf space so they can't carry everything.
Also, please be mindful of our 1,000 character limit for highlight as there is sufficiently more than that highlighted here. Our highlight tool is meant to excerpt a piece from another source, not post almost the entire article here - we get in to grey areas of copyright when this happens.
at 11:38 on October 23rd, 2009
Oh, ok, I will keep that well in mind. Let me see if I can fix....
at 11:41 on October 23rd, 2009
It's ok, just for next time...
at 11:45 on October 23rd, 2009
Well, I just took out several paragraphs of the highlighted text, and spaced it with a [. . .]; then I added several paragraphs of my own to the prelude. :)
at 11:55 on October 23rd, 2009
What about theories which are discredited, and then regain credit decades later,
This is exactly the reason why books, articles, studies, etc. should not be banned. The digital age accounts for the vast storing of information, I cannot imagine that any information be denied. In California, the libraries are creating networks between and among county libraries to make available even more books and information than one library contains. Information as well is availalbe from the Library of Congress.
There is no reason to censor or limit information.
at 13:27 on October 23rd, 2009
Very nice to find agreement with you in this regard.
at 12:06 on October 23rd, 2009
I can post under my own name again! Yes, agreed. Information stands and falls on its own, there is no reason to censor.
at 13:07 on October 23rd, 2009
Congratulations smk!
at 13:17 on October 23rd, 2009
Thanks, I keep thinking I will be blocked again! ;)
at 13:26 on October 23rd, 2009
what constitute a discredited theroy? A national court? If so, an inconvenient truth would be off the shelves as GB has pointed out in court falsehoods.
I am thinking that a discredited book is a matter of opinion at times and could cause books like you mentioned to be off the shelves. I think students critical thinking skills are enhanced by reading many different books.
at 13:37 on October 23rd, 2009
Yes, Politisite, I agree with you. For example, the American Medical Association has "discredited" the use of vitamins and herbs to cure cancer, yet there are still natural and alternative practicioners who believe in them and use them, and claims to see results. It would be fascist indeed to go to a library and find one could not get a book on natural healing, as it had been "discredited"; this can be applied to many, many domains.
at 15:52 on October 23rd, 2009
Every time a society started to ban Books it ended up in totalitarism and miss information.
Free speech and freedom of information is paramount for a Democratic and liberal society.
This off course does not guarantee intelligence nor wisdom even less a good and well balanced education, However, Freedom of speech and freedom of information is a fundamental stone of a just society.
at 16:04 on October 23rd, 2009
Yes, Roy, agreed! And Paschen, yes, right you are; a free society cannot afford to go down the slippery slope of banning books: The line would get ever more vague and blurry between "to ban or not to ban", and it would be a totalitarian nightmare.
at 18:42 on October 23rd, 2009
Ban and burn books of course is a Communistic of Fascist idolatry freedom of airing ideas goes in unison with a democratic society. I prefer freedom of sharing theories, ideas even if they are wrong. Even Mine Kampf should share the shelf's with the Philosophies of Plato and the Koran next door to the Bible.
at 20:13 on October 23rd, 2009
I disagree with you my friend that banning or burning books is communistic
at 19:01 on October 23rd, 2009
First of all,who is there to decide which theory,ideology is discredited;what is credible to A may not be credible to B.A would prefer books banned which B would like to be widely read and vice versa.
Stiffling knowledge is as dangerous as promoting falsehood.Can't it be left to the judgement of the reader to decide what he/she wants to read.Today if some people demand banning books on any ground,tomorrow some may demand making reading compulsory of particular books.
This dangerous trend must be nipped in the bud.
at 22:34 on October 23rd, 2009
The problem here is not the unproven theory. Is that the APA states that the Ex-Gay therapy is harmful.
at 10:44 on October 24th, 2009
Banning a book is different from choosing to carry it......altho the effect can be the same.
Librarians, as a group, tend to a very liberal bunch. Wouldn't be see surprised to see a nearly 2 to 1 advantage in books at libraries reflecting that slant. Not much different than the focus of major media (Fox News being excepted, of course, as they are not a real news source)
I realize that the actual subject concerns "theories", took a little liberty here. Same principle applies...who chooses which theory, and why.
at 10:49 on October 24th, 2009
Yes, it is indeed about theory, and I believe the libraries should carry the pro and con books, say, of gay issues. The APA has indeed stated the Ex-gay movement is harmful, but they should not have the last paternalistic word: Let people explore for themselves.