"Freedom of speech" exists separately as a philosophical concept, not as legal doctrine implemented by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Th

"Freedom of speech" exists separately as a philosophical concept, not as legal doctrine implemented by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The latter is something I have always considered a shockingly Americentric view. I have seen people go so far as to say that the First Amendment defines what free speech is — which is kind of like saying that the Second Amendment defines what a gun is.