The difference between fact and opinion is that a fact is something that is empirically true and can be supported by evidence while an opinion is a belief that may or may not be backed up with some type of evidence. An opinion is normally a subjective statement that can be the result of an emotion or an individual interpretation of a fact. For example, biological differences between males and females are a fact while a preference for one gender over the other is opinion.
Although the differences between facts and opinions usually rest on whether they are objective or subjective respectively, a fact can in some cases be subjective. A subjective fact can communicate how someone is feeling. If you tell someone that you are feeling sad, that is a subjective fact about your emotional state. On the other hand if I tell you that you are sad, this statement would qualify only as my opinion regardless of whether it is true.
A fact can safely be defined as a true belief. Because belief is synonymous with opinion, one who makes a factual statement also holds an opinion that the fact is true. Therefore all facts are accompanied by an opinion though opinions do not require facts to be held as true by those who believe them; hence the statement that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Discerning fact from opinion is often difficult, and for centuries philosophers have been trying to discover what can actually qualify as a fact rather than an opinion. This branch of philosophy is called epistemology, the study of the limits of what human beings can know for fact. Additionally, all of the modern sciences rest on the foundation of discerning fact from opinion and methodically aim to find true knowledge or fact.
It is difficult to claim that something is a fact when it is not clearly obvious, such as biological differences in gender, because facts are often proven to be wrong. For example, centuries ago the world was thought to be flat and this was held as fact by the majority of people. As we now know, the world is in fact round so the former statement is demoted to an outdated opinion. From this example we can see that those who thought that the earth was not flat were initially communicating an opinion that was eventually found to be true, which shows that a fact can almost always be challenged.
2007-09-20 01:41:51 · 30 answers · asked by snorky998 3 in News & Events ➔ Current Events
It made me giggle to see someone answer this with a statement they proclaimed as ''FACT''... when it wasn't a fact at all.
Which rather proves the asker's point. In my opinion!
2007-09-20 02:09:38 · answer #1 · answered by Wildamberhoney 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Do those people who say "they are innocent", "they didn't do anything to Madeleine" and "They didn't neglect their children" know the difference too?
In the same way that no one can state categorically that the McCanns WERE involved in the supposed murder of their child, no one can say that they are INNOCENT of said crime either. Just because their relatives say they are innocent, doesn't mean that it is so.
It's not just "Anti's" who have a problem telling the difference between fact and opinion, is it?
I will say this though, it is my OPINION, based on many FACTS, that they neglected three small children.
By the way, verbosity does not equal intellectual superiority.
2007-09-20 10:52:20 · answer #2 · answered by lululaluau 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Simple answer
Don't state something that is a theory as a fact.
We don't know if the parents have anything to do with it, or if they know more than they are saying, we can say "I think they killed her and hid her body.
We can't say "They killed her and hid her body" because there is nothing to back up that ASSUMPTION.
Too many people are saying things as a fact when really they're just a theory at this moment.
2007-09-20 09:00:43 · answer #3 · answered by Luca 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Way to ramble on without giving anybody any clue what you're referring to....
I finally discovered that (I think) you're talking about that little British girl who has disappeared from right under her parents' noses.
And in My Opinion, life is usually NOT like an episode of Matlock (Or Murder, She Wrote...) and the person who looks guiltiest is usually the guilty person.
Disappearances and murder cases like this are always full of "misfit" evidence that doesn't seem to fit what we "think" the suspect did. These evidentiary dead-ends do NOT mean the suspect isn't guilty.
Lets wait and see. If Mom and Dad are innocent, then the investigation should be able to rule them out. If they can't rule them out, then a trial should resolve the matter one way or another.
2007-09-20 08:57:14 · answer #4 · answered by chocolahoma 7 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Hmmm, ok, the difference between fact and opinion. That was summed up in the first paragraph but I agree. Until a body is found we can only speculate that she is dead. Until we know the evidence we can only speculate that the parents did it. I am aware of the difference between fact and opinion but it goes both ways.
You can't say for a fact that the parents didn't do it. You can't say for a fact that Madeleine (poor little thing) is alive.
2007-09-20 09:15:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anya 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋
If the Portuguese police have considered bringing charges it is because they are positive that the girl is dead. They wouldn't risk accusing anybody of manslaughter/murder if there was a chance that the child may turn up alive.
I reckon that what the tests show is that the hair and bodily fluids in the car come from a decomposing body.
2007-09-20 09:09:36 · answer #6 · answered by progressive scan 3 · 4⤊ 3⤋
If Madeleine's body has been cremated, is that fact or opinion because we have no body!
2007-09-20 15:43:59 · answer #7 · answered by shafter 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did you cut and past this from a homework book?
I think most normal people can tell difference between fact and cr*p printed by the media.
2007-09-20 08:57:19 · answer #8 · answered by Saucy B 6 · 5⤊ 3⤋
W H A T ? ? ? What dictionary did you swallow? Please don't talk down to us, it would be a very small minority on here who would state what you are saying. Even if they did the site is all about giving your OPINION. I completely disagree with lots people on here say but they are just speaking freely as one is allowed to do. So long as they are not abusive this is what this site is all about. Calm down!!!
2007-09-20 09:01:13 · answer #9 · answered by Ms Mat Urity 6 · 3⤊ 3⤋
there r to many people using speculation people need to wait for facts
2007-09-20 09:29:02 · answer #10 · answered by lizjess2000 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋