Taylor and Mill had outlined the way that debate should operate in a free society. It required people to think for themselves, evaluate information rationally, be confident enough to seek out the strongest arguments against their position and humble enough to recognise where they might be wrong. This required autonomy – an ‘inward domain of consciousness’ that allowed for genuine ‘liberty of thought and feeling.’ There had to be a space within people – a calm, protective barrier against outside influences – for contemplation.
