How Accurate Are Opinions?

[RaptorWizard]

I've observed that people are quite often convinced that their own opinions must be the right ones.
Do you believe that your opinions are the ones that must be right? Comment and vote your opinion (no pun intended).

Here's a post I made that can give good reference to my own view on opinions and how they relate to truth:
My best guess is that it depends on the context. This is because we each have our own independent points of view.

It's difficult to say, at least as far as subjective questions go (like what's best for all, or what the right way is, and so forth), that one person is correct; this would mean that anyone else who thinks differently would have to be wrong, at least on some level. I prefer to think that all of our perspectives actually have value, though some may very well give greater treasures than others.

Of course, other things that are more empirical (specifically science and experience) seem to have more objective values that can be given absolute correctness (assuming our observations our accurate). Just because we see something doesn't necessarily mean that's its true essence. As such, I think that all ways of seeing things each capture something within the overall picture of everything.

Ultimately, we really don't know exactly what qualifies as "true". The only thing I can think of is that the general concept of truth may form a best fit with the true self, or "I Am that I Am".

This pretty much means that we should act with the force and feeling of our true character, better reflect the light of God (love). Love is the greatest power of them all I believe. What better truth is there to have than true love?

 

[Such Irony]

Opinions are just opinions and are subjective. They are not fact, so how can they be measured by accuracy?

A better question would be something on the lines of how strongly attached are you to your opinions? Can you easily see importance in another point of view or do you feel yours is more important or worthwhile?

 

[kquirk]

Do you mean my own opinions, or people's opinions in general? This distinction will severely alter my vote.

 

[garbage]

You talk about both accuracy and value of opinions. They're separate, but I think they're related.

I'm of the mind that the value of an opinion (or assessment) is correlated with how accurate it is. Truthful assessments help us, collectively, navigate the world around us.

My hypothetical opinion that "I like chocolate ice cream" may be pretty accurate (truthful). Is that opinion valuable? To me, it may be--perhaps I have fond memories of my grandma babysitting me and giving me chocolate ice cream--but the world at large might not find much value in my opinion of chocolate ice cream.

Well-informed opinions on subject domains (e.g. those of experts) can be accurate and outwardly valuable.


(Perhaps related: would it help to tease out the difference, if any, between opinion, assessment, perspective.. ?)

 

[Standuble]

If the question you're actually asking is "can opinions become facts?" or "can opinions be facts?" then they are questions I have been struggling to answer for about a decade now. Maybe longer. I have always perceived them as having a huge abyss between them which cannot be crossed.

If you're merely asking whether they can be close to correct then why not? Some would be more accurate than others.

 

[Lark]

Mine are.

 

[Little_Sticks]

Sometimes facts become opinions, and sometimes opinions become facts. It's funny when people pretend there's much of a distinction, as if there's some authoritarian influence that can ultimately cast one or the other.

 

[Little_Sticks]

Mine are.

Is that a fact?
I guess it would have to be.

 

[Lady_X]

Do you mean my own opinions, or people's opinions in general? This distinction will severely alter my vote.

+1

 

[wolfy]

I think extremely accurate. It is easier to function that way.

 

[Azure Flame]

I believe I have a high percentage of being right, so I gamble and speak as if its 100%, because... yolo.

 

[Ene]

Opinions are opinions and facts are facts. However, facts are often misinterpreted and misrepresented to support opinions and make them appear to be facts. Now, it is a fact that the above statement is my opinion.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

What kind of knowledge is there and what can be accurately described as an opion?

-true beliefs strongly supported by evidence. "Opinion" doesn't describe these.
-tautologically true opinions. Opinion holder states that they have an opinion X.
Let my clarify:
"Opinion x" is opinion.
("Opinion x" is opinion) is not an opinion.

-beliefs. Are beliefs opinions if they are not a) true, b) supported by evidence? What if some issue's status as "knowledge" or "opinion" is contested?

I gathered that much of what I do revolves around what's based on evidence and reasoning, but most of my beliefs aren't like that. These are the kinds of beliefs I would classify as opinions, and they have only slight degree of accuracy. I've formed those beliefs with hearsay, generalizations and other bad methods. One could say, crowd intelligence. Crowds are roughly correct at many things, but this kind of knowledge isn't very accurate, and you can't really congratulate yourself for thinking the say way as everyone else.

 

[prplchknz]

I dunno they're my opinions, so i think they're extremely accurated. but because they're opinions and not facts there's no real quantative way to measure them. Because you could have a different opinion on the same thing as I do, but doesn't make either of us wrong.

 

[PimpinMcBoltage]

Opinions are as accurate as you want them to be.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

I am a bit confused by the question because it seems like every answer in the poll is correct. Opinions are an interplay between the inner distortions of perception and the unmovable outside world.

I constantly re-evaluate my opinions. I have a great deal of self-doubt and questioning. Other people seem to have more certitude, although I have also found that in my language use I can sound more certain than I am. It's like taking an idea, and then presenting it in its "Sunday best". I don't expect it not to be challenged by someone else or by myself. I just try to give each hypothesis its best construction, logic, and presentation.

 

[Honor]

Do you mean my own opinions, or people's opinions in general? This distinction will severely alter my vote.

Hahahahahahahaha, best response.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

It also depends on the type of information you are dealing with. If the opinion is about something that can only be measured internally like how an experience made you feel, then opinion is the only way of conveying that information. I don't think people are terribly objective, so if the information is about processing facts from the external, measurable world, opinion isn't the right way to convey that information.

Complex topics tend to combine both and so that is where opinions become malleable in terms of accuracy. I think certitude inhibits functioning moreso than questioning, but of course, that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

 

[Cellmold]

I am a bit confused by the question because it seems like every answer in the poll is correct. Opinions are an interplay between the inner distortions of perception and the unmovable outside world.

I constantly re-evaluate my opinions. I have a great deal of self-doubt and questioning. Other people seem to have more certitude, although I have also found that in my language use I can sound more certain than I am. It's like taking an idea, and then presenting it in its "Sunday best". I don't expect it not to be challenged by someone else or by myself. I just try to give each hypothesis its best construction, logic, and presentation.

It's surprising how much I am similar to your second paragraph myself.

Being certain is incredibly useful throughout life as it can give an individual the drive and confidence to do many things, but I also find it a pit fall waiting to happen, there are 'certainly' elements of myself where I am quite rooted in being certain about my perceptions of course and so I am not innocent of this nor do I believe myself to have avoided pit falls of that nature, but so many people I know who seem so sure of what they know, I worry for the day when what they know turns out to be completely different and reality as they know it spirals away.

That's quite dangerous in a species like us.

 

[Ginkgo]

They're "right" for me and perhaps others. But not factual. Just indications of personal resonance. I think opinions ultimately guide one to believe in certain facts or to believe in non-factual things, depending on the circumstance.

Mine are.

No.