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What is wrong with book-burning is not that a book has been set on fire - it is that the book is no longer available to be read.
Consider a few cases:
1. A government deems a particular book to be subversive literature and orders every copy burnt. Agents of the government seize all copies found in libraries, bookstores, or private residences and commits them to the fire. This is wrong.
2. An ideologue arranges to purchase every copy of a rare book and burns them. This is wrong.
3. An ideologue arranges to purchase several copies of a commonly-available book and burns them. This is not wrong.
Apologies to everyone who got sick of the whole debacle over two weeks ago.
Consider a few cases:
1. A government deems a particular book to be subversive literature and orders every copy burnt. Agents of the government seize all copies found in libraries, bookstores, or private residences and commits them to the fire. This is wrong.
2. An ideologue arranges to purchase every copy of a rare book and burns them. This is wrong.
3. An ideologue arranges to purchase several copies of a commonly-available book and burns them. This is not wrong.
Apologies to everyone who got sick of the whole debacle over two weeks ago.
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