Can an opinion be a fact or better yet made into a fact?

Question

A coworker and I had an debate and he states that an opinion can be a fact given a certain circumstance. I told him an opinion can never be a fact no matter how many examples you give its impossible to translate an opinion into a fact bottom line. I gave this example "The earth goes around the sun"....this is a fact. " 2+2=4...a fact. He gave this example " I think interest rates will go up at the end of the year."...This is his opinion but he claims that if this comes to fruition then its a fact, however its not because its possible that the interest will not go up so right there kills his argument, secondly he his ASSUMING this may happen. Now I know this is an easy one for everybody to figure out but I just want to show him the difference between the two. One Love! God Bless!

Answer 1

Actually, if he prefaces it with "I think," then it's a fact right there, as he's stating the fact that he thinks something. (This is NOT the same as saying that whatever he thinks is true, and therefore itself a fact.)

If he says "Interest rates will go up at the end of the year" and they do, then he's stating a fact. But if he says that and they don't, then he's not stating a fact. Either way, it's not verifiable as fact or opinion until the end of the year when the data is in.

Maybe the question here is where the division between fact and opinion lies. For example, it's pretty easy to see that "chocolate ice cream is better than strawberry" is an opinion, not a fact. "Blue light has shorter wavelengths than red light" is a fact, but "blue is prettier than red" is an opinion.

Answer 2

I would say that you are both right and that you have opened the door to a very philosophical question.

You both can be right given the proper circumstances.

To continue you debate, might I suggest more research into both thoughts by watching the video series by Joel Barker called the Business of Paradigms (you might be able to find these at a local library or if you have an industrial video distributor in your area, be able to rent them at a reasonable price versus having to buy them outright).

In this series, you will both learn how perceived facts are really options in many cases and what is gut feel, is in fact true! It is a fact that many times you will hear people say that something is impossible to do – and in their way of thinking that is a fact (or was it an opinion). But then someone else comes along and does what was considered impossible! Did it happen because of facts or opinions (beliefs)?

Thus, I suggest keeping the discussion going.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

I think chocolate ice cream tastes good. (assuming i really do) is that a fact or opinion or both? I think its both. some opinions can be facts and some facts can be opinions.

but i think his example was wrong. a correct opinion is different from a fact. when he made the claim, he didn't know what would happen. His statement can only be a fact if he has certain knowledge that the statement is true. Without this certain knowledge, he might have a correct opinion, but its still only opinion, not fact. If i correctly guess the winning lotto numbers, my opinion that they were going to be the winners is correct, but i can't say that i knew them "for a fact."

Answer 4

An opinion can become a fact. My colleague and I were discussing this too and we concluded that an opinion can lead to a hypothesis, and if it is proven, it can thus become a fact. However, at the moment the opinion was made, it was not a fact, merely speculation that it will be true if nothing has been done to prove or disprove it.

Answer 5

An opinion usually begins with "I think", "I believe" (and so on), a statement with such opening is subjective. So an opinion is a subjective statement. An opinion is open for debate while a fact is not. In argument, facts can be used to support the claim and strengthen the argument while opinions can not.

Answer 6

opinions do indeed become fact upon the realization and pursuit of it. like a goal, it's only a dream until you reach it.

example:

during earlier times, people opined that we can never land nor fly into outer space. it was everyone's opinion that those are made by dreamers and everyone is one is saying "it's just an opinion and a dream to ever land into the moon"... but from today's standard, the mere opinions becomes fact...

so, take note of every opinion you've heard. list in a book... preserve it thru your generations. and in time, some opinions will turn into facts...

ciao.

Answer 7

Fact. If the interest rates go up at the end of the year, all he had was a lucky guess...that is all.

Fact. at the end of the year should the interest rates go up, all he can do is say, I told you so.

Fact. should they be higher, the fact is that at that time they are higher, and his sayings so way back then...has nothing to do with the fact at the end of the year.

You know what they say about opinions, they are like as..sholes ....everyone has one.

Answer 8

If I say "That paint is dry at last!", and the paint is not dry, it is an opinion. Once the paint dries, it becomes a fact. However, until the paint actually is dry, my statement is nothing but an opinion.
That the paint does eventually dry does not make my original statement a statement of fact, because it was NOT a fact at the moment I said it.

Answer 9

A fact is a fact and an opinion is an opinion...Good opinions are supported by facts but are still opinions. That's why they're called opinions and not facts.

Answer 10

Its an opinion until you have facts to back it up. It has to be true no matter what...or as they say in the legal system "beyond a reasonable doubt"