Paradox of Tolerance

Updated 18 Sep 2026

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What it is
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  the problem that unrestricted tolerance can allow movements to destroy the conditions that make tolerance possible
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My application
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  Religious justification should not excuse coercion or persecution.
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  Minority status does not make every practice within a group acceptable.
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Limits
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  Responses still require evidence and proportionality.
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  The principle does not automatically justify harassment or arbitrary punishment.
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Connection to horseshoe theory
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  Two positions are not equivalent merely because both oppose something strongly. Their aims, methods, and treatment of people must be examined.
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Related

Linked references 1