DISTINGUISHING OPINION FROM TRUTH

Opinion vs. Fact

• Examples of Opinion vs. Fact:

  • Opinion: "It is hot today!"

  • Fact: "The temperature is 40° Celsius."

  • Fact: "1+1=2."

  • Fact: "Clouds are made of water droplets or ice crystals."

  • Opinion: "The painting is not aesthetically pleasing."

  • Opinion: "The research suggests the procedure is weak and erroneous."

Understanding Opinion

• Definition of Opinion:

  • Propositions based on personal beliefs, views, or judgments that lack verifiable evidence.

  • Often reflect personal interpretations; also known as value judgments.

  • Subjective in nature; cannot be proven true or false.

• Examples:

  • "The sun is made of green cheese."

  • "Your hair is very beautiful."

  • Political opinions, such as those stated by Donald Trump.

Subjective Nature of Opinions

• Opinions are mind-dependent and vary per individual, making them unverifiable as true or false.

  • Example:

    • Pro-Opinion: "I think it's good to go to Boracay now while it's summer."

    • Counter-Opinion: "I do not think it's good to go due to rainy days."

Normative Nature of Opinions

• Normative statements evaluate situations and suggest behavior.

  • Example:

    • "Killing is wrong because if it were moral, everyone would do it without fear of repercussions."

Expressions of Opinions

• Opinions express personal beliefs, feelings, and speculations.

• They are plausible due to:

  • Personal beliefs possibly being false.

  • Feelings clouding rational judgment.

  • Speculations lacking firm evidence.

Understanding Fact

• Definition of Fact:

  • A propositional statement verifiable through empirical evidence.

  • Objective and typically beyond dispute.

• Examples:

  • "Earth is oblate spheroid."

  • "Rodrigo Duterte is the 16th president of the Philippines."

  • "Mary is the daughter of Anna."

Objective Nature of Facts

• Facts are independent of personal beliefs, biases, and prejudices.

• Example:

  • "Microphones and speakers convert mechanical oscillation to AC and vice versa."

Descriptive Nature of Facts

• Facts explain, describe, or represent aspects of the world.

• Example:

  • Descriptions of how microphones and speakers operate.

Understanding Truth

• Facts validated through logical reasoning are considered true.

• Some statements that were once facts may later be proven false through further validation.

  • Example: Misconception about taste areas on the tongue.

Tools for Distinguishing Truth and Opinion

• Critical Thinking:

  • Method for assessing judgments by suspending beliefs.

  • Questions to consider include:

    • "How do I know this?"

    • "Is my proposition based on emotions or feelings?"

    • "Are there alternative possibilities?"

• Logical Reasoning: Governs the validity of arguments.

  • Example structure for deductive reasoning: If K>10, then K>2.

Critical Thinking Explained

• Definition: Careful, intentional reasoning to analyze ideas and arguments.

• Method involves breaking down premises and conclusions to evaluate validity.

• Incorporates examples of discussions, like arguments about the existence of aliens.

Distinguishing Deductive and Inductive Reasoning

• Deductive Reasoning:

  • General premises leading to specific conclusions.

  • Example: If all men are mortal and Aristotle is a man, then Aristotle is mortal.

• Validity and Soundness:

  • Valid argument connects premises logically.

  • Assesses whether premises are true to gauge soundness.

Inductive Reasoning

• Moves from specific observations to broader generalizations.

  • Example: Noting individual intelligence to imply a group generalization.

• Evaluation of strength based on observational evidence.

Conclusion of Reasoning Types

• Distinctions between deductive and inductive reasoning are crucial.

• Evaluations of soundness and strength guide judgment in arguments.

Truth Table Introduction

• A tool for analyzing logical propositions by detailing combinations and their truth values.

Table Components

• Negation, Conjunction, Disjunction: Types of logical connectors analyzed through truth tables.

  • Detailed illustrations of how the truth of bases affects the outcomes of propositions.