Opinions...

... are like behinds, everyone has one.

Don't say I never post anything.

With regards to the title:

Dictionary.com has neatly defined opinion as "a personal view, attitude, or appraisal".

It's philosophical question time!

What does it mean to "have a right to an opinion"?

Assume an argument between A and B.

A says the dinosaurs all died because they had faecal retention in their posterior. This statement doesn't sit well with B and so B gives his view and tells A that he is wrong. A reiterates his stand and insists B is wrong... and then goes on to add that "well, that's just your opinion."

With this, the argument ends.

Thinking logically,

1. Was that last statement by A even relevant to the issue at hand? How did it help decide if A or B was right? It obviously didn't. A just changed the topic of discussion from the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs to something completely different - the right to have an opinion.

This is known as Ignoratio elenchi aka extra unneeded bullshit.

2. If you think about it further, is there even such a thing as a right to an opinion? What really is a right? Something very basic about having a right is that duties go hand in hand with them. Duties? Well, duties that have to be carried out for a right to be upheld in the first place. A simple example is "the right to live". If "to live" simply means not being dead then the duty that follows is that you cannot be made dead aka no one should kill you. Upholding this duty is made possible by the Law criminalising murder.

Well, astute readers would then go on to talk about aging and eventually dying a natural death, and that this violates the very right to live. I agree, it does but on this very one occasion.

So what duties does having a right to an opinion bring?

Is it the duty to agree with that opinion? Nah, can't be. Because then you'd have to change opinions every few steps.

Is it the duty to listen to your opinion? Nah, not possible. You may not be interested and you may not have the time. Just like the opinions of anti-semites and how 911 was claimed to be masterminded by the Jews.

Is it the duty to let you keep your opinion? Most interpret it this way, but no. We have no obligation to let others keep their opinion. Which brings us to...

Is it the duty to change others opinion? Yes. And very often this duty is carried out. A famous example: Einstein and his theories of relativity. It changed the opinion of the scientific world. A simpler example: Suppose you're crossing the road and suppose you have the opinion that there are no oncoming cars. Suppose I see a car oncoming. Should I let you keep your opinion then? (Imagine if I was obliged to as in the above duty.) No, I would change your opinion and most likely, I'll be thanked for it.

This should be the same for every other instance. The problem is: are you willing to believe the truth? Or would you rather disagree in spite of it? Most people don't really care for the truth if there isn't any direct implication (like the oncoming car) and would simply like to be left alone.

So the next time someone says "that's just your opinion". Give it up cause the other party has given up.

I'm having fun reading Crimes Against Logic by Jamie Whyte.