The correct option is 2 and 3 only.
Explanation
John Stuart Mill, in his seminal work On Liberty, provides a foundational defense for the freedom of speech and expression. He argues against the suppression of any opinion, regardless of whether it is perceived as true or false, positing that the free exchange of ideas is essential for the discovery of truth and the progress of society.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Incorrect. Mill explicitly argues against banning false ideas. He asserts that silencing an opinion is "robbing the human race." If the opinion is right, society is deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth; if it is wrong, society loses the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth produced by its collision with error.
- Statement 2 is Correct. Mill posits that human judgment is fallible. An opinion that the majority or the state views as false may actually contain a portion of the truth. Since the prevailing opinion on any subject is rarely the whole truth, it is only by the collision of adverse opinions that the remainder of the truth has any chance of being supplied.
- Statement 3 is Correct. Mill argues that suppressing ideas that appear false is a loss for society. Even if an idea is wholly false, its presence is necessary to prevent the received truth from becoming a "dead dogma" or a mere prejudice held without understanding its rational grounds. Therefore, losing the engagement with "false" ideas weakens the intellectual vitality of society.
Key Takeaway:
J.S. Mill advocates for absolute freedom of expression because truth is not static; it emerges from the "marketplace of ideas." Suppressing false ideas hinders the correction of errors and prevents the full understanding of the truth.