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Often, before publishing a work, an author will submit
it to trusted reviewers for private criticism. This review process protects
the author from mistakes which could otherwise destroy his reputation.
If this private review process could not take place, many authors would
be reluctant to publish.
Thus we see that paradoxically, the preliminary restriction of information
to a few, during the review process, actually makes publication to a wider
audience possible. This requires privacy.
Also those in search of private personal truth often do not want that
truth published to the whole world. We can seek help in the search for
personal truth, by privately communicating with those we trust. Thus, we
see again that privacy aids the search for truth.
Privacy is part of the civilized atmosphere that makes the search for
truth possible.
In order to create such an atmosphere, everyone should use what technical
means are available to secure privacy whenever possible.
Adherents of the Cult of Free Inquiry should make it part of their religious
practice to secure the privacy of their private communications wherever
possible.
To this end, strong, unescrowed, encryption should be used. All private
communications should be secured, even nonsensitive ones, so that sensitive
communications are not subjected to enhanced scrutiny. This requirement
flows from the second draft fundamental principle of the
cult. |
