Autonomy: independence or freedom, as of the will or one's actions
The ethicist Kant believed that we are free and rational creatures and that we are autonomous. That is, we are free to make our own decisions. He also believed that in order to do this, we need unrestricted access to information.
In our library world, that means that all information should be open and accessible for our own evaluation. By making information available, we respect each person's autonomy and rationality. In order for a person to make choices, they need to be able to access all views and sides of an argument without restrictions. Then make up their own minds.
In Kant's world, having holocaust denial literature on the shelf is just as important as the The Diary of Anne Frank or Mein Kampf. And they should, if possible, have equal representation.
Here is a link on the subject of holocaust denial literature:
http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/people/d/drobnicki-john/denial-and-libraries.html
As parents, librarians, teachers and truth seekers, how do we rationalize these ideas and how do we make sure we provide the right information? Do you believe in Kant's idea of unrestricted access to information?
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