An opinion literally can't be wrong. It's a subjective claim. The article says opinions can be wrong, and then goes on to say what most people call opinions are just factual claims that are incorrect. Factual claims are not opinions. Opinions can't be wrong. Factual claims can. If you can say objectively one way or the other, it's not an opinion. Period.
But you can have an opinion on an objectively verifiable fact. For example, it is raining outside and I say, "In my opinion it is not raining outside." Beyond that I think we would be twisting ourselves up in technicalities because when someone uses 'opinion' the way that this article refers to it, what they are really saying is 'I know' or the state of 'knowing'. Hidden beneath this discussion is the real question: how do we know, what we claim to know? or more concisely: epistemology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology It is a vast field and definitely worthy of exploration by everyone. Ideally university students would avail themselves of at least one course to learn the basics and begin to learn how to think. This is the most important aspect of higher education after all.
You can have opinions about objectively verifiable facts. And you can also have opinions on fiction. That's not an opinion. And the assertion that it's not raining would be false. But that's not an opinion. Period. Just because you call it an opinion doesn't mean it is. Which is my point. Opinions objectively cannot be wrong. Do keep in mind my comment was more about the tone set by the original title, rather than the edited one (apparently it changed since I commented). Here's the original title for reference: As you can see, it's making an objectively incorrect statement. The new title ("No, it's not your opinion. You're just wrong") is much better and more accurately reflects what the article is talking about. Not really relevant, IMO.But you can have an opinion on an objectively verifiable fact.
For example, it is raining outside and I say, "In my opinion it is not raining outside."
Beyond that I think we would be twisting ourselves up in technicalities because when someone uses 'opinion' the way that this article refers to it, what they are really saying is 'I know' or the state of 'knowing'.
Yes, Your Opinion Can Be Wrong
Hidden beneath this discussion is the real question: how do we know, what we claim to know? or more concisely: epistemology
But you see that is the point, what one person may categorize as fiction, others may categorize as verifiable fact. That is the whole crux of the issue which you continue to miss completely. > "That's not an opinion." Of course it is an opinion. In fact, it is my opinion that it is an opinion :) Also, I think you may be defining opinion different than almost everyone else, myself included. The generally accepted definition is that opinions are beliefs or judgements about observable reality. And yes, such beliefs or judgements can be wrong. As such, they are intimately intertwined with the concept of 'knowing'. That is, how does one differentiate between 'knowing a thing to be true' and 'believing that a thing is true'. This is where epistemology enters the discussion. And you are categorically wrong in opining that it is not 'really relevant' ;)
Provided we are speaking english, and we both agree that fiction means something that does not correlate to observable peer reviewed reality, and that verifiable fact means an objective thing that can be observed, tested, and verified by multiple individuals, you can certainly say that someone is wrong or right. Whether or not you classify it as a fact is irrelevant. That's your opinion. And has no bearing on the actual reality of things. language is subjective. We can sit here and fight over definitions all day and never get to a consensus, because it's subjective and entirely an opinion. Well no. Excusing the subjectivity of language (it can be your opinion that what is currently happening shouldn't be classified as 'raining'), the fact of whether or not water is falling from the sky is not an opinion. It's objectively verifiable and testable. You may have opinions on what we classify this as, but that's a language game. Your opinion isn't about whether or not water is falling from the sky, but rather whether or not we should call it 'rain'. An opinion is an untestable subjective claim based on what 'should' be. This is a nonsensical definition. You are trying to claim opinions are true facts about reality. Which is nonsense. "The earth revolves around the sun" is not an opinion. "Rain falls from the sky" is not an opinion. Yet, both of these are beliefs/judgements about observable reality. "This website is hubski" is another one. It's not an opinion. That's because beliefs/judgements aren't opinions. Beliefs are incorrectly accepted facts. Judgements are just assertions. The former is certain, the latter is mistakenly certain.But you see that is the point, what one person may categorize as fiction, others may categorize as verifiable fact. That is the whole crux of the issue which you continue to miss completely.
Of course it is an opinion. In fact, it is my opinion that it is an opinion :)
Also, I think you may be defining opinion different than almost everyone else, myself included.
The generally accepted definition is that opinions are beliefs or judgements about observable reality.
And yes, such beliefs or judgements can be wrong.
That is, how does one differentiate between 'knowing a thing to be true' and 'believing that a thing is true'.
In my opinion, when there's mist or very light droplets falling from the sky, it's not raining. It's raining when I need to wear a rain jacket to go from my house to my car. In my opinion, it only rained once this summer, where I live. Also, I'm allergic to nuts, so in my opinion, nuts are awful. These opinions are obviously false from the consensus point of view, but they are still true from my point of view... That's the core of the problem.
That's an opinion on the definition of "rain". Language is inherently subject to opinions, since it's descriptive, not prescriptive. Words mean what you want them to mean. It's through mutual agreement that we get a solid definition. But the definition is solely an opinion of what the word should mean. The fact of the matter is that there's mist or very light droplets falling from the sky. Your opinion is that you don't call that rain. That doesn't mean there isn't water falling from the sky. Your opinion is that nuts are 'bad' (a subjective opinion term) because you are allergic (a fact). This is an informed opinion. You don't like X because Y. Nuts are not objectively bad. Not everyone is allergic. That's called a subjective claim/assertion. Or a 'value judgement'. Ultimately it can only be verified from a subjective point of view, meaning that contradictory results are expected. They don't describe objective reality. They describe a subjective view of objective reality. They cannot be right or wrong, given that they are subjective.In my opinion, when there's mist or very light droplets falling from the sky, it's not raining. It's raining when I need to wear a rain jacket to go from my house to my car. In my opinion, it only rained once this summer, where I live.
Also, I'm allergic to nuts, so in my opinion, nuts are awful.
These opinions are obviously false from the consensus point of view, but they are still true from my point of view... That's the core of the problem.
A bit of summarization, a bit of refutation. See: And ultimately, the title: However, the title seems to have changed since I last read it, as it's now: So perhaps some other users have mentioned the same thing.and the word I’ve come to loath more than any other is “opinion”.
There’s a common conception that an opinion cannot be wrong.
"This is my opinion" does not preclude a connected statement from being dead wrong. It still baffles me that some feel those four words somehow give them carte blanche to spout batshit oratory or prose.
Yes, Your Opinion Can Be Wrong
NO, IT’S NOT YOUR OPINION. YOU’RE JUST WRONG