I read so many answers to questions that are no more than one's uninformed opinion about a subject. A subject of major importance, I might add. These must not be college educated people because why would you answer a question if you are clueless about the facts regarding that subject?
An opinion is useless when asking fact driven questions. If you don't know the answer, your opinion about it just makes you look even more ignorant than you probably are.
2006-12-28 22:12:08 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
"Why would people answer a question if they're clueless about the facts?" Because they like to look and/or sound smart. Either that or they just want the 2 points that answering a question yields.
I agree with you that opinion is useless when answering a fact driven question. The problem is that sometimes a question (depending on the topic) can be answered with both an opinion OR a fact. Or it can be answered with both.
Example: Nature vs nurture. Which is the greater influence on human behavior?
Scientific studies have been done to answer this very question, and so far, the debate rages on; no definitive answer has been given. But the studies are out there and available for public perusal; the facts that could be employed to answer the question do exist. But most people will answer this question by giving their opinion. It doesn't make the answer any less legitimate; it just isn't a scientically based answer. And as much as I like factual answer, I find divergent opinions can be stimulating and generate further discussion. I love that!
But whether you're answering from an opinion or fact-based perspective, it's good practice to add links that will support your answers. If you're merely giving opinion, I think it's a good idea to state somewhere in your answer, "this is my opinion," so it's clear to the asker what exactly they're reading. It can be helpful to direct the asker to a website that can support your opinion. If your answer is fact-based, it's nearly an imperative to source it. This lends credibility to the answer/er. Just be careful that the source-link is likewise credible. Just because it's out there on the web doesn't make it accurate.
2006-12-28 22:49:27 · answer #1 · answered by Jen 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Freedom of speech, anybody can answer anything they like.
If you ask a question I can answer it, I might be wrong but I still have the freedom to answer.
It's also open to interpretation, if you ask a direct question: what is 2 plus 2 the answer is 4. It's an easy answer but if the question doesn't have an obvious answer you get to determine if the answers are right or wrong because you interpret them in a way that suits you.
Does dark matter actually exist? There might be only 20 people in the world who can give you a good, educated answer but even they don't know, there is no real proof.
What about: is jesus the son of god? Lots of people with opinions, lots of people prepared to answer your question - who's right the person who agrees or disagrees? You'll decide based on your own opinions.
Did the Nazi death camps really exist? There are some who believe it was all a lie started by the allies after the war.
People answer your questions based on their interpretation of the world, you only know what you know through your personal education was that 100% correct? If you believe so how do you know? You're only believing what you've been taught to believe.
If you don't like it don't ask questions, if you have questions you want answering accept that much of what you will be told is wrong.
Oh yes, don't fall into the trap of believing that only university educated people have valuable information, one of the cleverest men I have ever met was a self educated taxi driver who left school at 14, never sat, let alone passed an exam.
2006-12-29 07:22:01 · answer #2 · answered by MrClegg 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you practice what you preach? I asked a simple question about a James Brown show that I went to almost 40 years ago and you come back telling me that I must be on drugs or have Alzheimer's. So, I guess that makes you uneducated and ignorant,right ?
2006-12-29 07:33:07 · answer #3 · answered by mrjvzucco 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fact and Fiction are the two branches of same tree but the faces are different how ever the truth can be seen anytime in the life but the fiction is always a unknown Question which is not answrable in single way.
2006-12-29 06:27:00 · answer #4 · answered by satyan 6 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can use wikipedia to call people on there BS, it works wonders
2006-12-29 06:14:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋