Pure tolerance revisited

Abstract

This short commentary argues that tolerance can go too far, that it can mean remaining silent in the face of ‘radical evil’ (Marcuse’s term), and that it can tip over into intolerance. The paper gives a brief account of Marcuse's argument that there are some things that ought not to be tolerated. It then goes on to point out that pure tolerance is actually intolerant because it forbids criticism and judgement. It gives the journal’s own expressed policy as an example of this. It concludes by arguing the case for some degree of intolerance, as a way of clarifying what counts as feminism.