While we know it`s a fact that humans eat fish, spiders can be affected, Venus Williams is an athlete, and humans befriend hamsters, these are all value claims that cannot be proven by any universally accepted criteria. We might as well make the following counterclaims: A logical argument in which every statement is supported by a statement that is accepted as true is proof. The belief that everyone is entitled to an opinion does not mean that each opinion is as good as another. Not all opinions have the same value. Some opinions are better informed, more practical, or more compassionate—better for the human race in general, you might say. Erroneous opinions and judgments based on erroneous facts or lack of reasoning can be worse than stupid or impractical; they can be harmful — witnesses to the Holocaust, the result of virulent racist views that have been put into action. Well, the first statement of fact is true (at the time of writing this article); The other two are wrong. It is possible to check the height of the buildings and see that Taipei 101 surpasses them all. It is possible to develop an experiment to show that five plus four is not equal to ten, or to use established criteria to determine if Pluto is a planet. An objective statement is a statement about a fact – a fact that can be proven true or false.
For factual issues, there are widely accepted criteria and methods for determining whether a claim is true or false. A subjective statement, on the other hand, is not a question of fact; It is the expression of a personal belief, opinion or preference. A subjective statement cannot be proven to be right or wrong by any generally accepted criteria. Since subjectivity is another type of knowledge, it is important to respectfully participate in dialogue with those whose subjective claims differ from one`s own. It is possible to respect the person even if he disagrees with his opinion. As Voltaire said: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it until death.” Facts that were previously believed to be true may be considered false when new criteria, methods or technologies emerge. For example, the definition of planet has recently been revised. Experts agreed that Pluto did not meet the new accepted criteria. At this point, the statement “There are nine planets in our solar system” has become false. Even if a factual allegation is patently false, it remains an objective assertion of fact. A postulate or axiom is an accepted statement of fact. An accepted finding of fact is a written or oral statement in a court proceeding that is approved.
This is often used as evidence. Unlike subjective claims and opinions, subjective claims cannot be proven as true or false by generally accepted criteria. Subjective claims often express opinions, preferences, values, feelings, and judgments. Even though they may contain facts, they do not make factual (provable) claims and are therefore in a sense neither true nor false, just as an objective statement is true or false. They are outside the scope of what is verifiable. For example, consider the following subjective statements: Objective statements and factsAn objective statement can be true or false; Just because something is objective doesn`t mean it`s true. The following statements are objective because they relate to facts, that is, facts that can be verified as true or false: In matters of opinion, there are no generally accepted standards or methods that would conclusively prove that either statement is true or false. None of the contradictory claims above are false, and one or both could be true. Just because a statement is subjective does not mean it is false. In terms of mathematics, what is an accepted factual statement used to prove other claims? o a. theorem o b. axiom o c.
definition o d. indefinite term Reset Next A statement is a fact, even if you can only think of a method by which it could be verified. For example, suppose I claim that humanoid life exists on planets outside our galaxy. I can think of methods that could be used to determine if it`s true, even if I can`t – maybe send a spaceship faster than light. However, when I imagine methods, I must not indulge in pure fantasy; I have to use generally accepted criteria. If the consensus is that traveling faster than light is impossible, then my test presented with a ship faster than light does not meet generally accepted criteria. I should suggest another way to verify my application against acceptable criteria. Whether you do not believe or disagree with my statement is an objective statement; Either there is or there is no humanoid life outside our galaxy, whether one of us believes it or not. A statement that is accepted without proof is commonly called a theorem. The other word used for such statements is postulate. Misunderstanding subjectivity and objectivity as opposites can lead to problematic positions in philosophy, morality and ethics.
If you want to follow this line of research, you can start with “Critical Thinking on the `Subjective`/`Objective` Distinction” by Sandra LaFave of West Valley College in California: instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave/subjective_objective.html catfish is much tastier than trout. Touching a spider is fascinating. Lance Armstrong is the best athlete of all time. Everyone should have a cat. Trout taste better than catfish. Touching a spider is scary. Venus Williams is the greatest athlete of this decade. Hamsters are the best pets. When you read, you can often recognize subjective claims by signal words like these: cultivate the ability to distinguish purpose from subjective; It is crucial for critical evaluation of claims, intellectual honesty and respectful dialogue. Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world. Five plus four equals ten. There are nine planets in our solar system.
Since objectivity does not guarantee truth and subjectivity is not necessarily false, it makes sense that objectivity is not the exact opposite of subjectivity. Subjectivity and objectivity are different types of knowledge.