I hate to come across as condescending and I honestly hate the thought of needing to explain this to people, but I've reached a point where I feel I must. I feel that approximately 78.43% of people don't know the difference between fact and opinion. That number I provided, for example - what was that? A fact? An opinion? Neither. It was complete and utter bull honky. I pulled it from an area that stinks even when the sun is shining.
Let's allow Sir Webster to be our guide on this.
First off, Sir Webster, what is an opinion?
"o-pin-ion (uh-pin-yuhn)
noun
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
3. the formal expression of a professional judgment.
4. the format statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.
5. a favorable estimate; esteem."
Now, Sir Webster, what is a fact?
"fact (fakt)
1. something that actually exists; reality; truth.
2. something known to exist or to have happened.
3. a truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true.
4. something said to be true or supposed to have happened.
5. an actual or alleged event or circumstance, as distinguished from its legal effect or consequence."
Okay, so an opinion is a belief which can't yet be called a fact due to insufficient evidence, whereas a fact is definite - it can be proven without a shadow of a doubt.
Alright, let's see if I got this...
"The capital of New Jersey is Trenton" - That's a tough one, but I'm leaning toward fact, even though I think it should be Newark.
"Abortion is wrong!" - Hmm... I could go either way with this (that's what she said), but am guessing it's an opinion. My, this is difficult.
"President Obama was born on another planet!" - Ah, just like the number I provided at the outset of this blog - I believe that to be bull honky.
Now, was that so difficult? Really? All three types of statements can start out as opinions, however, facts ultimately determine whether one's opinion can be construed as fact, is nothing but bull honky or if it remains an opinion where there's not enough evidence to prove that it's a fact or complete bull honky.
Let's go over this one more time...
"2 + 2 = 4" - Fact.
"Math sucks more than Madonna used to while drunk backstage after concerts" - Fact - I mean opinion.
"2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = Jock strap" - Bull honky.
That wraps up our lesson for today. Tomorrow, I will dig into adding and subtracting single-digit numbers, how to say the alphabet in 10 minutes or less and how to bowl higher than a 2 for a full game. See you then...
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/opinion?s=t
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fact?s=t
Let's allow Sir Webster to be our guide on this.
First off, Sir Webster, what is an opinion?
"o-pin-ion (uh-pin-yuhn)
noun
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
3. the formal expression of a professional judgment.
4. the format statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.
5. a favorable estimate; esteem."
Now, Sir Webster, what is a fact?
"fact (fakt)
1. something that actually exists; reality; truth.
2. something known to exist or to have happened.
3. a truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true.
4. something said to be true or supposed to have happened.
5. an actual or alleged event or circumstance, as distinguished from its legal effect or consequence."
Okay, so an opinion is a belief which can't yet be called a fact due to insufficient evidence, whereas a fact is definite - it can be proven without a shadow of a doubt.
Alright, let's see if I got this...
"The capital of New Jersey is Trenton" - That's a tough one, but I'm leaning toward fact, even though I think it should be Newark.
"Abortion is wrong!" - Hmm... I could go either way with this (that's what she said), but am guessing it's an opinion. My, this is difficult.
"President Obama was born on another planet!" - Ah, just like the number I provided at the outset of this blog - I believe that to be bull honky.
Now, was that so difficult? Really? All three types of statements can start out as opinions, however, facts ultimately determine whether one's opinion can be construed as fact, is nothing but bull honky or if it remains an opinion where there's not enough evidence to prove that it's a fact or complete bull honky.
Let's go over this one more time...
"2 + 2 = 4" - Fact.
"Math sucks more than Madonna used to while drunk backstage after concerts" - Fact - I mean opinion.
"2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = Jock strap" - Bull honky.
That wraps up our lesson for today. Tomorrow, I will dig into adding and subtracting single-digit numbers, how to say the alphabet in 10 minutes or less and how to bowl higher than a 2 for a full game. See you then...
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/opinion?s=t
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fact?s=t
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