Poll: Can opinions be wrong?

[Ulquiorra4sama]

Your opinion is never wrong unless you present it to the wrong crowd.

Of course an opinion can be wrong. For example if someone were to say a racist slur and afterwards say it's just his opinion, it's wrong.

As for the racist thing. If you say a racist slur among other racists then no one will say it's wrong. If you say it to someone who isn't racist they'll either think of it as weird, awkward or wrong. Say it to a black man i doubt he'll respect your opinion.

It's like breaking the law. Nothing is illegal until someone who thinks what you're doing is wrong and reports you to the police.

 

[Woodsey]

If I said I hate Australia because they invaded China, then my opinion is wrong; that never happened (at least, I don't think it did...) and so my opinion is based on a false fact which in turn makes my opinion wrong.

So to me, an opinion can easily be wrong - of course, that's just my opinion.

Does anyone agree or disagree?

What you are saying there isn't an opinon at all though. Adding the phrase "in my opinon" does not make a statement an opinion. Saying "In my opinion Florida is only 3 miles long" is NOT an opinion. It is a false statement I added the deadwood phrase "in my opinion" in front of.

An opinion by the very definition of being an opinion CAN NOT be proven right OR wrong. If I said "Apples are way better then oranges" I would be voicing my opinion, and if I say "In my opinion, Apples are more orange in color then Oranges" I would be making a false statement that I added "in my opinion" in front of.

Now let me stress that opinions can be based on false statements, assumptions, and misunderstandings so not every opinion should be valued as much as others, but an opinion, a TRUE opinion CANNOT be proven right or wrong. Anyone who says otherwise needs to retake their English class.

You'll have to be more direct about what part of what I've said you're referring to (the bit in bold) before I can reply properly.

Also, if you'll note (I appreciate I didn't write it down clearly), I talked about there being 2 different types of opinion. One that is purely subjective and one that is based around a fact.

 

[EclipseoftheDarkSun]

Opinions can certainly be incorrect if based on incorrect information or wrong assumptions.

There certainly is a difference between a poorly informed opinion and a well informed opinion.

 

[Aurgelmir]

Of course an opinion can be wrong. For example if someone were to say a racist slur and afterwards say it's just his opinion, it's wrong.

Well that is your opinion.

You see there is a difference between having an opinion, and the uttering it.

Being of the opinion that killing puppies for fun is right, is buy itself not wrong. But actually killing puppies for fun is wrong in most parts of the world.

If I have the opinion that Piracy is okey to do, I am neither right nor wrong. But if I actually pirate something I might be breaking a law. And the law is not an opinion


The same can be said about racial slurs, or disliking people different than you. Having that opinion is not wrong, everyone is entitled to believe whatever they want. But when someone utters their opinion they also allow others to share their opinion.


PS: Not all opinions are based on facts, and therefore might SEEM wrong to people of a different opinion.

 

[Milo Windby]

Your opinion is never wrong unless you present it to the wrong crowd.

Of course an opinion can be wrong. For example if someone were to say a racist slur and afterwards say it's just his opinion, it's wrong.

As for the racist thing. If you say a racist slur among other racists then no one will say it's wrong. If you say it to someone who isn't racist they'll either think of it as weird, awkward or wrong. Say it to a black man i doubt he'll respect your opinion.

It's like breaking the law. Nothing is illegal until someone who thinks what you're doing is wrong and reports you to the police.

What if you say a racil slur about White people to a Black man?
(Just to toss this in the air, I do not agree with racisim, just a fyi)

 

[Sir Broccoli]

Of course opinions can be wrong, just like the OP said, when they're factually wrong. Like if I were to say "Gravity is a lie!" I'd be wrong, even though it's just my opinion.

But saying "Gravity is a lie!" is a statement, not an opinion.
Also, when you say: "I hate Australia because they invaded China" you might be wrong. But your actual opinion (which is "I hate Australia") is not. After all you DID hate Australia, even though it was for the wrong reasons. Opinions can't be wrong, the foundations on which you base your opinions can.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Opinions can be wrong, for example "black people are inferior". There is no logical reason for black people to be inferior, so it is wrong.

 

[Woodsey]

Opinions can be wrong, for example "black people are inferior". There is no logical reason for black people to be inferior, so it is wrong.

The problem is that that's a false fact, you're not giving an opinion.

 

[Bigeyez]

You'll have to be more direct about what part of what I've said you're referring to (the bit in bold) before I can reply properly.

Also, if you'll not (I appreciate I didn't write it down clearly), I talked about there being 2 different types of opinion. One that is purely subjective and one that is based around a fact.

Yeah sorry I edited in which part I was referring to there after you quoted me. (The invading China part). As for the second part of your post the trick here is identifying what is really an opinion and what isn't. To use your China example it IS your opinion that you hate Australia. The opinion may be based one the false pretense that Australia invaded China but that doesn't make the opinion "wrong" it just makes it an ill-informed opinion, and thus valued less then someone with a well-informed opinion. Later if you find out the truth and saw that Australia did not invade China you can change your opinion and be just as correct! Thats the beauty of opinions.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

Your opinion is never wrong unless you present it to the wrong crowd.

Of course an opinion can be wrong. For example if someone were to say a racist slur and afterwards say it's just his opinion, it's wrong.

As for the racist thing. If you say a racist slur among other racists then no one will say it's wrong. If you say it to someone who isn't racist they'll either think of it as weird, awkward or wrong. Say it to a black man i doubt he'll respect your opinion.

It's like breaking the law. Nothing is illegal until someone who thinks what you're doing is wrong and reports you to the police.

What if you say a racil slur about White people to a Black man?
(Just to toss this in the air, I do not agree with racisim, just a fyi)

Then we're back to "If you say it to someone who isn't racist they'll either think of it as weird, awkward or wrong"

EDIT: If he is racist towards white people then he won't think of it any further.

 

[Bigeyez]

Also, when you say: "I hate Australia because they invaded China" you might be wrong. But your actual opinion (which is "I hate Australia") is not. After all you DID hate Australia, even though it was for the wrong reasons. Opinions can't be wrong, the foundations on which you base your opinions can.

QFT. This basically says it all. An opinion in and of itself cannot be wrong. What it's based on, however, can be.

 

[craddoke]

Opinion cannot be right or wrong because it doesn't deal with matters of fact. Unfortunately, too many people think that statements about matters of fact can be opinions - especially when making statements of fact about subjects that are not well-understood. In other words, an ignorant statement of fact is not an opinion; it's a guess. Contrariwise, very few qualitative judgments are factual statements unless they're founded on quantitative analysis.

 

[Woodsey]

You'll have to be more direct about what part of what I've said you're referring to (the bit in bold) before I can reply properly.

Also, if you'll not (I appreciate I didn't write it down clearly), I talked about there being 2 different types of opinion. One that is purely subjective and one that is based around a fact.

Yeah sorry I edited in which part I was referring to there after you quoted me. (The invading China part). As for the second part of your post the trick here is identifying what is really an opinion and what isn't. To use your China example it IS your opinion that you hate Australia. The opinion may be based one the false pretense that Australia invaded China but that doesn't make the opinion "wrong" it just makes it an ill-informed opinion, and thus valued less then someone with a well-informed opinion. Later if you find out the truth and saw that Australia did not invade China you can change your opinion and be just as correct! Thats the beauty of opinions.

Sorry, maybe I didn't write it clearly then; I know my opinion is the bit about Australia, my point was that the opinion is solely formed on a false fact. To me, that signals a wrong opinion. However, I'm starting to think that "invalid" is a more appropriate word to use than "wrong".

What you say makes sense, but to me it doesn't quite ring true.

 

[infinity_turtles]

Opinions can be wrong, for example "black people are inferior". There is no logical reason for black people to be inferior, so it is wrong.

The problem is that that's a false fact, you're not giving an opinion.

Actually, that is an opinion. A person could not like darker colors, and judge people solely based on aesthetics. So to that person, they are inferior. Whether something is better than another is subjective, and therefore can be an opinion. Not being logical doesn't make something false after all. If I killed people for wearing blue, that'd be pretty illogical, but it doesn't make them any less dead. Anyway, the person is shallow, but their opinion isn't wrong. I'd also say they're stupid, but that's an opinion, because how people judge intelligence is subjective.

 

[MrPop]

My opinion is that an opinion can be wrong.

Am I right in saying that?

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Opinions can be wrong, for example "black people are inferior". There is no logical reason for black people to be inferior, so it is wrong.

The problem is that that's a false fact, you're not giving an opinion.

I'll change it.

"I hate black people"

Whilst it is literally true (I don't really, this is an example), it is morally wrong.

 

[Sir Broccoli]

Opinions can be wrong, for example "black people are inferior". There is no logical reason for black people to be inferior, so it is wrong.

That's the fun thing about opinions, you don't really need to back them up. If you think something about something else it's a valid opinion.

 

[Bigeyez]

Sorry, maybe I didn't write it clearly then; I know my opinion is the bit about Australia, my point was that the opinion is solely formed on a false fact. To me, that signals a wrong opinion. However, I'm starting to think that "invalid" is a more appropriate word to use than "wrong".

What you say makes sense, but to me it doesn't quite ring true.

Ahhhh I think I'm starting to see what you're saying. I think we both agree on what an opinion is we just differ on the semantics of it. I would definitely call an opinion based on false pretenses or on a fact that is just plain wrong an invalid opinion or simply an opinion I would value far less then someone with a valid, well informed opinion.

BTW you rock for that Mafia II avatar.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

They are only wrong if they are different than my opinion.

 

[infinity_turtles]

I don't believe an opinion can be wrong,only facts,and while some facts are wrong to a select group of individuals,for example person A says thing x is better than thing y to him it is fact but to everyone else it is opinion which he is entitled to,when do the lines truly become evident?...It's things like this that I enjoy discussing.

I am of the opinion that skinning people alive is perfectly ok. Now is my opinion right or wrong.

Neither, opinions aren't right or wrong. They just are. That is an opinion though, and opinions are never wrong(or right).