Freedom of thought

Freedom of thought is the liberty to form, hold, and change beliefs without coercion or punishment. It is recognized as a fundamental human right.

Freedom of conscience: The liberty to hold moral or religious convictions and act according to them, subject to limits on conduct. It overlaps with freedom of thought but also concerns acting on convictions.
Belief: A mental acceptance that a proposition or account of reality is true. Beliefs are the immediate objects that freedom of thought protects.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A 1948 United Nations declaration setting out a common standard of fundamental human rights. Article 18 expressly protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
Thoughtcrime: A supposed offense consisting of a person's private thoughts or beliefs rather than outward conduct. It names the condition freedom of thought rejects: punishment for belief alone.
Freedom of religion in the Soviet Union: The history of religious practice and state restrictions under Soviet rule from 1922 to 1991. State atheism and religious repression show the costs of denying freedom of belief.
Intellectual freedom: The liberty to seek, receive, and exchange ideas without undue restriction. It extends the protection of thought into inquiry and communication.
Conscience: A person's reflective sense of moral obligation and right conduct. Conscience helps explain why convictions can be central to personal identity.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: A 1966 treaty requiring its parties to respect civil and political rights. Article 18 makes freedom of thought and conscience a binding treaty obligation.
Blasphemy law: A law that penalizes insult or irreverence toward a religion or sacred subject. Such laws can punish expressed beliefs, placing expression and religious protection in tension.
Religious freedom in the United States: The constitutional and legal protection of religious belief and practice in the United States. Its legal history shows how protections for belief interact with public institutions.

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