The Right to Hatred?

Hateful expressions directed at various groups of people — Ukrainians, Jews, migrants, LGBT+ people — have become a widely discussed issue today, especially with the rise of social media.

Is it possible to limit hate speech while preserving the ideal of freedom of speech? Should we insist on freedom of speech if it serves as a shield for hateful expression?

Using concrete examples, we will explain what is considered hate speech in philosophy. We will also look at different approaches to defending freedom of speech as one of the key values, while at the same time legitimately criticising and limiting hate speech.

The debate will be interwoven with piano compositions by composer Jiří Trtík.

· ABOUT THE SPEAKER ·
Tomáš Koblížek is a researcher in the Department of Analytical Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences. He focuses on topics where philosophy of language overlaps with ethics and political philosophy, such as hate speech, disinformation, propaganda, and freedom of speech. His major publications include the French monograph La conscience interne de la langue (2021). More recently, together with Monika Hanych and Jakub Kalenský, he published the book Disinformation and Hate Speech from the Perspective of Philosophy, Law and Security (2025). He has been a visiting researcher several times at research centres at the École normale supérieure and CNRS in Paris, and has also completed research stays at the University of Washington in Seattle and St Mary’s University College in London. He regularly collaborates with Czech Radio. In 2025, he received the Chair of the Czech Academy of Sciences Award for the popularisation of research, experimental development, and innovation.

· ABOUT THE COMPOSER ·
Jiří Trtík is an internationally acclaimed composer who in 2021 received the OSA Award for the most successful Czech classical composer abroad. He has written numerous commissioned works for major institutions, ensembles, and performers, including the National Theatre in Prague, Kremerata Baltica, the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, members of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and soloists of The Cleveland Orchestra. His works have been premiered across Europe, the United States, and Japan. He has also composed music for a number of art films, including Eating the Future (2024), Wolves at the Borders (2021), and The Green Widow (2014). In 2021, he founded STRO.MY Ensemble, an international music ensemble built on an innovative approach to classical music and site-specific performances in unconventional architecturally distinctive spaces, often incorporating visual and performative elements.

· PARTNERS ·
The event is organised with the financial support of the City of Prague, the Prague 2 Municipal District, and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic as part of Laichter House’s literary club.