Mill's Trident

[DISCLAIMER]

When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I invite people to consider thinking and beliefs which are rational (in accordance with both logic and reason). Because I don’t assume that people know specific terms, allow me to define them.

First, censorship is the institution, system, or practice of censoring—examining in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable, as self-censorship is the act or action of refraining from expressing something (such as a point of view) that others deem objectionable.

Second, logic is the interrelation or sequence of facts or events when seen as inevitable or predictable, and reason is a statement offered in explanation or justification. For instance, a modus ponens syllogism uses the logical form: If p, then q; p; therefore, q.

For example, if someone says something you find disagreeable (p), then you can simply ignore the person’s opinion (q). Someone says something you find disagreeable (p). Therefore, you can simply ignore the person’s opinion (q). (As you read this blogpost, keep in mind this example.)

Although it may seem odd for one who provides professional care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”) to discuss matters related to free expression, there’s a reason that I post a fair amount of content within my blog related to free speech.

For instance, if the clients with whom I work self-censor (p), then they generally self-disturb about an inability to exercise free speech (q). The clients with whom I work self-censor (p). Therefore, they generally self-disturb about an inability to exercise free speech (q).

If this occurs, I encourage clients to practice the tools ABC model and unconditional acceptance as a means of un-disturbing themselves. Also, in the interest of improved mental health outcomes, if people are able to speak freely without the necessity of these tools, then even better.

When contemplating this matter, John Stuart Mill comes to mind—about whom one source reports “he conceived of liberty as justifying the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state and social control.” As an example, in his essay On Liberty, Mills stated:

[T]he opinion which it is attempted to suppress by authority may possibly be true. Those who desire to suppress it, of course deny its truth; but they are not infallible. They have no authority to decide the question for all mankind, and exclude every other person from the means of judging.

To refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility. Its condemnation may be allowed to rest on this common argument, not the worse for being common.

Given Mill’s stance, I’ve often advocated free expression within my blog – even during periods when doing so could result in governmental and social consequences for simply speaking truth. As an example, I stated in a blogpost entitled Swimming in Controversial Belief (8/12/2022):

If one believes one is of another gender than what others perceive, can another person also identify as maintaining racial characteristics contrary to what evidence may suggest—all on the grounds of believing it to be true? […]

“Your beliefs do not make something true, and, “Just because you claim to think something is true does not make it true.” Perhaps the biological, scientific, and objective standard is a bit difficult for some to accept.

Bear in mind that my blogpost was shared with the world at a time when cancel culture was in full swing. I easily could’ve self-censored instead of discussing a contentious topic that received advocacy from many women’s and gender studies programs.

Rather than intentionally silencing my voice, I spoke truth. Furthermore, regarding those academic programs which espoused nonsensical transgender (“trans”) rhetoric, I stated in a blogpost entitled Intentionally Cancerous (7/12/2023):

If the aim of women’s studies is to use activism as a form of infectious contagion intended to “infect, unsettle, and disrupt” specific fields, and perhaps society as a whole, does such behavior correspond with moral values or scientific examination regarding what is considered normal?

I argue the former in spite of the latter. As women’s studies radically challenge “social hierarchies,” the field and related practices dispute that which is standard, usual, typical, and expected.

Disputation from the feminist perspective then carries with it the aim of moralistically identifying what is perceived as good, bad, right, wrong, and so forth. For instance, men holding positions of power and privilege may be castigated as repugnant and wrong.

To address perceived wrongdoing, activistic cancer spreads through metastasis— the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer. These tumors permeate many areas within a stable society and erode it from within.

I didn’t mince words when describing the cancerous effects of social contagion during a time when many people self-censored. Now, it’s apparently less objectionable to speak truth as I historically did.

For example, on legacy media opinion source recently reported that “evidence backs the transgender social-contagion hypothesis” which Abigail Shrier addressed in her 2020 book Irreversible Damage – about which one source states:

Shrier states that there was a “sudden, severe spike in transgender identification among adolescent girls” in the 2010s, referring to teenagers assigned female at birth. She attributes this to a social contagion among “high-anxiety, depressive (mostly white) girls who, in previous decades, fell prey to anorexia and bulimia or multiple personality disorder”.

Shrier also criticizes gender-affirming psychiatric support, hormone replacement therapy and sex reassignment surgery (together often referred to as “gender-affirming care”) as treatment for gender dysphoria in young people.

I recall Shrier receiving a significant amount of pushback concerning her worldview, which I maintain is how free speech preferably should function. Favorably, it appears as though evidence is being gathered which may then examine the veracity of Shrier’s claims.

As such, I remain grateful for those members of society who’ve dared to challenge government and social narratives. Regarding this matter, one source states:

But why [preferably] should the single minority opinion still be heard?

This is where Mill laid out his three-pronged argument for why no opinions — regardless of how poorly-subscribed or incorrect they are — [preferably] should be silenced. FIRE [Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression] president Greg Lukianoff calls it Mill’s Trident, and describes it as follows:

“In any argument there are only three possibilities. You are either wholly wrong, partially wrong, or wholly correct — and in each case free speech is critical to improving or protecting those positions.”

Using Mill’s Trident, I’m either wholly wrong about the trans issue, partially wrong, or wholly correct. For context, my perspective about the trans issue is informed by current information from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that states:

The term “transgender” is not a psychiatric diagnosis. It is used to refer to a person whose sex assigned at birth (usually based on the appearance of external genitalia) does not align with their gender identity (one’s psychological sense of their gender).

Some people who identify as transgender do experience “gender dysphoria,” a DSM-5-TR psychiatric diagnosis that refers to the psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity.

Though gender dysphoria can sometimes begin in childhood, some people may not experience it until after puberty or much later. There are many different ways that people who are transgender seek gender affirmation.

This might simply involve a social transition (changing one’s name, pronouns or the kind of clothing they wear); a legal transition (e.g., changing gender markers on one’s government-issued documents); medical transition (e.g., pubertal suppression or gender-affirming hormones); and surgical transition (e.g., vaginoplasty, facial feminization surgery, breast augmentation, masculine chest reconstruction, etc.).

Not all people who are transgender desire all domains of gender affirmation, as these are highly personal and individual decisions.

While my outlook is informed by the APA, I don’t consider it as a wholly correct position. This is because, at its core, the notion of trans is irrational. Before you self-disturb with illogical and unreasonable beliefs about my stance, allow me to exercise free speech by explaining my view:

Syllogism form (modus ponens) –

If p, then q; p; therefore, q.

Premise 1: If p, then q.

Premise 2: Affirm p.

Conclusion: Conclude q.

Earlier in this post, I illustrated a couple modus ponens syllogisms. Bear in mind that the premises in an argument, proposition, or belief of this form will always lead to the conclusion. This is the case even when the premises aren’t true.

Equally important, in order to be considered rational, the argument, proposition, or belief empirically must remain in accordance with both logic and reason. (More on that in a bit.)

Example –

If person X doesn’t identify with his biological male sex (p), then person X can claim to be a transwoman – as everyone else must thereafter acknowledge person X’s gender as a transwoman (q).

Person X doesn’t identify with his biological male sex (p).

Therefore, person X can claim to be a transwoman – as everyone else must thereafter acknowledge person X’s gender as a transwoman (q).

Moments ago, I inferred that in order to be empirically rational, an argument, proposition, or belief must remain in accordance with both logic and reason. The last syllogistic example I used herein follows logical form. However, I maintain that its premises don’t establish a true outcome.

While I advocate person X’s ability to “claim to be a transwoman,” as people have a right to use beliefs which are wrong (i.e., maintain delusional beliefs), it isn’t reasonable to absolutely demand that others “must thereafter acknowledge person X’s gender as a transwoman.”

In short, I support people being able to freely express their delusions. However, government or social pressure directed at ostensibly forcing others to share in that delusion – or self-censor regarding beliefs which are wrong – isn’t something I advocate.

From the perspective of Mill’s trident, I’m open to the notion that my worldview is either wholly wrong, partially wrong, or wholly correct. Still, it would take rational evidence – not the governmental and socially-pressured influence of sources like the APA – to convince me.

Noteworthy, Mill argued that the silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility, sometimes referred to as the “presumption of infallibility,” meaning that suppressing an opinion is wrong because it assumes one’s own certainty constitutes absolute or objective truth.

He contended that even a false or – dare I say delusional – opinion may contain a portion of truth (e.g., person X was born a male), and that the free exchange of ideas, even conflicting or controversial ones, is necessary for discovering truth about the nature of reality.

To silence an idea is to risk losing both truth and a chance for progress in the direction of discovery, as well as to deny the possibility of one’s own fallibility. Ergo, my view about the trans issue – that one can’t simply identify as something else, as it shall be so – could be wrong.

Until or unless convincing evidence is received regarding this matter, I maintain that it’s delusional for person X to be referred to as a transwoman, woman, or anything other than what this individual actually is. Personally, it isn’t kind to participate in the irrationality of others.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit (edited), fair use

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm

American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Gender dysphoria. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria

Eduardo, A. (2024, June 14). John Stuart Mill’s enduring arguments for free speech. Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Retrieved from https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/john-stuart-mills-enduring-arguments-free-speech#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAll%20silencing%20of%20discussion%20is,same%20thing%20as%20absolute%20certainty.%E2%80%9D

Fahs, B. and Karger, M. (2016). Women’s studies as virus: Institutional feminism, affect, and the projection of danger. Multidisciplinary Journal of Gender Studies. Retrieved from https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/generos/article/view/1683

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Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth

Hollings, D. (2024, November 18). Opinions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/opinions

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