Distinguish OPINION from TRUTH ➢ Why is it important to distinguish between fact and opinion? ➢ Some have too much trust in their self-found ‘knowledge’ that they disregard what others say about a certain topic. This is dangerous since one’s self-found ‘knowledge’ may represent only a partial and subjective point of view. ➢ We ought to be vigilant against believing that what we believe as true is actually the absolute truth, for our respective ‘knowledge’ may be none less than mere opinion and not the truth. ➢ What people regard as true may not necessarily be the absolute truth. Naturally involving persistent asking, doubting, and inquiry, philosophy helps to distinguish true, objective knowledge from subjective opinion. DISTINGUISH OPINION FROM TRUTH: STATEMENT OF FACT VS. STATEMENT OF OPINION STATEMENT OF FACT possesses objective content and is wellsupported by the available evidence STATEMENT OF OPINION content is either subjective or not well supported by the available evidence. ➢ Fact is a statement that is true and can be verified or proved objectively. ➢ Opinion is a statement that holds a touch of belief, usually telling how a person feels. Opinions are not always true and some cannot be proven. ➢ opinions can be emotional outbursts or merely interpretations but some opinions are more thoughtful, more informed, more coherent, and more important than others. ➢ Opinion is less concrete. It's a view formed in the mind of a person about a particular issue. In other words it is what someone believes or thinks and is not necessarily the truth. ➢ statement that go beyond providing facts Distinguishing opinion from truth BASIS FACT OPINION FOR COMPARIS ON Meaning something that can be verified or proved to be true judgement or belief about something Based on Observation, research, or other admissible source or authority. Assumption or personal view What is it? Objective reality Verificati Possible on Represen Something ts really happened Subjective or relative statement Not probable A perception about something Change Universal Words Shown with unbiased words Differs from person to person or culture to culture Expressed with biased words Debatabl No e Influence Naturally has the power to influence others Yes Does not have ‘real’ power to influence others * If something is true, it must also be a fact, right? ➢ Fact is something that’s indisputable, based on empirical research and quantifiable measures. ➢ Facts go beyond theories- proven through calculation and experience, or they’re something that definitively occurred in the past. ➢ Fact is something concrete that can be proven. ➢ You can find facts in legal records, scientific findings, encyclopedias, atlases, etc. In other words, facts are the truth and are accepted as such. ➢ Truth is entirely different; it may include fact, but it can also include belief. ➢ Oftentimes, people will accept things as true because they fall closer to their comfort zones, are assimilated easily into their comfort zones, or reflect their preconceived notions of reality. ➢ You can find facts in legal records, scientific findings, encyclopedias, atlases, etc. ➢ Facts are the truth and are accepted as such. Terms to examine in determining Fact/Truth CONCLUSION - judgment based on certain facts BELIEFS -statements that expresses convictions that are not easily and clearly explained by facts. EXPLANATIONS - statements that assume the claim to be true and provide reasons why the statement is true. ARGUMENTS - series of statements that provide reasons to convince the reader or listener that a claim or opinion is truthful. FALLACIES - arguments based on faulty reasoning. BIAS -disproportionate weight in favor of or against an idea or thing, usually in a way that is closedminded, prejudicial, or unfair. ➢ a strong, preconceived notion of someone or something, based on information we have, perceive to have, or lack ➢ a subjective way of thinking that originates from an individual’s own perception or points of view. ➢ there are different types of bias people experience that influence and affect the way we think, behave, and perceive others. Some examples of Fallacies: AD HOMINEM - (Attacking the person): This fallacy occurs when, instead of addressing someone's argument or position, you irrelevantly attack the person or some aspect of the person who is making the argument. The fallacious attack can also be direct to membership in a group or institution. Ad hominem arguments can take many forms, from basic namecalling to more complex rhetoric. For example, an ad hominem argument can involve simply insulting a person instead of properly replying to a point that they raised, or it can involve questioning their motives in response to their criticism of the current state of things. EX: “you’re stupid, so I don’t care what you have to say”, APPEAL TO FORCE (ARGUMENTUM AD BACULUM OR THE "MIGHT-MAKES-RIGHT" FALLACY): This argument uses force, the threat of force, or some other unpleasant backlash to make the audience accept a conclusion. EX: “bullying” APPEAL TO EMOTION - arguing through feelings rather than facts; involves manipulating people’s emotions to strengthen their support for the conclusion of an unsound argument. EX: “when we asked to do away with leftover foods as others are hungry..” APPEAL TO THE POPULAR Argumentum Ad Populum, Appeal to the Majority, Appeal to the People, Bandwagon Fallacy, and Consensus Gentium ➢ a claim based on popular opinion or on a common belief among a specific group of people. EX: “Most people believe that there is life after death, so there is life after death.” BEGGING THE QUESTION - you use the point you’re trying to prove as an argument to prove that very same point. Rather than proving the conclusion is true, it assumes it. ➢ also called circular reasoning EX: “God is real because the Bible says so, and the Bible is from God.” * others like Fallacy of composition, Fallacy of division, cause and effect etc. Some examples of Bias: CONFIRMATION BIAS – the tendency to seek out information that supports something you already believe EX: “a person believes left-handed people are more creative than right-handed people. Whenever this person encounters a person that is both left-handed and creative, they place greater importance on this "evidence" that supports what they already believe.” CULTURAL BIAS – (implicit bias) involves those who perceive other cultures as being abnormal, outlying, or exotic, simply based on a comparison to their own culture. EX: (language/accent/pronunciation) OPTIMISM OR PESSIMISM BIAS how individuals are more likely to estimate a positive outcome if they are in a good mood, and a negative outcome if they are in a bad mood. EX: “risky situations” (optimism bias) “overly cautious” (pessimism bias)
