The University of Chicago has what it calls a ‘Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse’ – aimed at teaching students to conduct their debates in a civilised, non-abusive manner. This wonderful old word ‘parrhesia’ is recorded in English from 1577. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘parrhesia’ as meaning: ‘boldness or freedom of speech’. J.K. Rowling (the Harry Potter author) has challenged the new Scottish ‘hate speech’ laws saying that so-called ‘trans-women’ are, in fact, biological males and should be not allowed in safe spaces set aside for women and girls (toilets, change rooms, etc.) What she says is now illegal to say in Scotland. That once glorious little nation has now banned ‘parrhesia’. It is using an authoritarian law to banish ‘boldness and freedom of speech’. The word itself comes from ancient Greek roots. The first part (‘par-’) means ‘beside’ or ‘alongside of’, while the second part comes from the same source as rhetoric and means ‘speech’.

The Oxford English Dictionary gives us a slightly fuller definition of the word: ‘Candour, frankness; outspokenness or boldness of speech. Also: the act or practice of asking forgiveness in advance for speaking in this way.’ So ‘parrhesia’ means frank, polite, open debate. This is not what the world of woke want! But without ‘parrhesia’ our civilisation will die.