Philosophy of Facts, Opinions, and Evidence in Epistemology

What is a state-of-affairs?

An occurrence or condition that exists regardless of what anyone thinks about it.

What is a belief?

A mental state in which a person represents the world as being one way or another.

What is a statement?

A sentence that makes a true-or-false claim and is used to express a belief.

What is a true statement?

A statement that accurately represents the world.

What is a false statement?

A statement that does not accurately represent the world.

Why isn't every belief an opinion?

People can have different beliefs about a factual matter.

What is the proper target of the fact/opinion distinction?

Factual statements versus opinion statements.

What is a necessary condition?

A condition that MUST be present for something else to be true.

What is a sufficient condition?

A condition that is ENOUGH to guarantee something else is true.

What are necessary and sufficient conditions?

Conditions that are both required for something and enough to guarantee it.

What is the guiding question concerning facts and opinions?

Whether we can provide necessary and sufficient conditions for something being a factual statement or an opinion statement.

What is the True vs. False Proposal?

Factual statements are true statements; opinion statements are non-true statements.

What is wrong with the True vs. False Proposal?

A factual statement can be false, and a statement classified as an opinion can be true.

Does getting a fact wrong automatically make a statement an opinion?

No. A false claim can still concern a factual matter.

What is the Concrete vs. Abstract Proposal?

Factual statements concern concrete things; opinion statements concern abstract things.

What is wrong with the Concrete vs. Abstract Proposal?

There can be factual statements about abstract things and opinion statements about concrete things.

What is an example of an abstract factual statement?

"2 + 3 = 5."

What is the Controversial vs. Uncontroversial Proposal?

Factual statements concern uncontroversial things; opinion statements concern controversial things.

What is wrong with the Controversial vs. Uncontroversial Proposal?

Factual claims can be controversial, opinions can be relatively uncontroversial.

What is audience-relativity?

The same claim may be controversial to one audience but uncontroversial to another.

What is the Proven vs. Not Proven Proposal?

Factual statements can be proven true or false; opinion statements cannot be proven true or false.

What is wrong with the Proven vs. Not Proven Proposal?

It is unclear how much proof is required.

What is objective?

Something that is mind-independent.

What is subjective?

Something that is mind-dependent.

Are beliefs themselves objective or subjective?

Beliefs are subjective because they depend on a mind having them.

Can the content of a belief be objective?

Yes. A belief is subjective as a mental state, but what the belief says may be objectively true or false.

What is an example of an objectively true claim?

"3 + 2 = 5."

What is an example of an objectively false claim?

"3 + 2 = 17."

What is an example of a subjective claim?

"Peanut butter chocolate ice cream is delicious."

What is the Objective vs. Subjective Proposal?

Factual statements concern objective matters; opinion statements concern subjective matters.

What is wrong with the Objective vs. Subjective Proposal?

Some statements traditionally classified as opinions concern objective matters.

What is a descriptive statement?

A statement that attempts to describe the way the world is.

What is a normative statement?

A statement that attempts to make an evaluation.

What is an example of a descriptive statement?

"Starry Night is a painting created by Vincent Van Gogh."

What is an example of a normative statement?

"Starry Night is a good and beautiful painting."

What is the Descriptive vs. Normative Proposal?

Factual statements are descriptive statements; opinion statements are normative statements.

What is wrong with the Descriptive vs. Normative Proposal?

Not everything traditionally classified as an opinion is normative.

What is Corvino's revised definition of a factual statement?

A statement that has objective content AND is well-supported by the available evidence.

What is Corvino's revised definition of an opinion statement?

A statement that has subjective content OR is not well-supported by the available evidence.

What is Mettler and Mondak's definition of factual statements?

Statements that can be proved or disproved by objective evidence.

What is Mettler and Mondak's definition of opinion statements?

Statements that cannot be proved or disproved with objective evidence.

What is Corvino's ambiguity worry?

The fact/opinion distinction is unclear and ambiguous.

What is Corvino's irresponsible reasoning worry?

People can use the fact/opinion distinction to avoid their responsibility to engage in careful inquiry.

Why can 'That's just your opinion' be intellectually irresponsible?

It can be used to dismiss another person's argument without engaging with their reasoning.

Why can 'That's just my opinion' be intellectually irresponsible?

It can be used to avoid providing supporting arguments for one's own claim.

Why can 'I'm just stating the facts' be intellectually irresponsible?

It can be used to assume one's position is obviously supported and dismiss opposing arguments.

What should we focus on instead of simply labeling something 'fact' or 'opinion'?

The arguments, reasoning, and evidence supporting the claim.

What is revision and education in this context?

Revise the fact/opinion distinction to make it clearer and educate people about how to use it properly.

What is eliminativism?

The view that we should eliminate the fact/opinion distinction.

What is Corvino's eliminativist argument?

The fact/opinion distinction is ambiguous and vague.

What is evidentialism?

The view that it is morally wrong for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence.

Who is William Clifford?

A philosopher associated with evidentialism.

What is Clifford's shipowner example?

A shipowner convinces himself his ship is safe without proper investigation.

What did the shipowner do wrong?

He formed his belief that the ship was safe without sufficient evidence.

According to Clifford, would the shipowner still be wrong if the ship did not sink?

Yes, the moral problem concerns forming the belief on insufficient evidence.

Why does Clifford think beliefs matter morally?

Beliefs influence our actions, which can significantly affect the lives of others.

How can unsupported beliefs affect future beliefs?

Forming beliefs without evidence can strengthen a habit of accepting things without adequate evidence.

How can beliefs affect other people?

Our beliefs influence our actions, which can have significant effects on others.