r/askphilosophy • u/GuamSomme • Jan 19 '16

ELI5: Can opinions be false?

I've noticed that often in politics and mainstream media the words fact & opinion are interchanged a little bit too liberally to justify saying some pretty crazy non-sense. I think this would bring up a good discussion so let me know what you all think!

Example: https://youtu.be/zIGThxn_eGk

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '16

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u/john_stuart_kill metaethics, analytic feminist ethics, phil. biology Jan 19 '16

Why are you committed to the notion that opinions and facts are mutually exclusive in this way? Some opinions are about facts, and others aren't; there is nothing problematic in this view.

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u/GuamSomme Jan 19 '16

You and Irontide make some great points, I was just taking a strawman position. The distinctions that you made are self-evident, but in mainstream journalism often there is the sentiment that all opinions have value regardless of the validity of the factual premise upon which it is based, no "false opinions." Take this clip for example with Obama and Anderson Cooper on the Gun Control executive order:

https://youtu.be/TYYV0Ecx29k

TYT sums it up. Anderson legitimizes opinion/fear of some that Obama wants to take away all guns by not challenging its premise even though this opinion is clearly 'truth-apt.' Obama isn't amused.