The Philosophical Paradox of Opinion
Are my opinions mine, or yours. If they're mine, where did they come from and what should I do with them? If they're yours, how did you get them in me? What does matter is that opinions are good and should be swapped, because monolithic thinking would be dangerous.
The dictionary defines an opinion as a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. Opinions are different from emotions and sensations, but are often presented as one.
Evolution of an Opinion (Just the con's) All opinions require "a need" to begin the process. If I ask your opinion on which reducing agent contributes the most to the development of mid-tone shadow detail over time, Metol or Hydroquinone, you may not have one, because you don't have a need. If you say, "it would depend upon it's ratio to Sodium Sulfite," then you've studied b&w film processing. Contribution - is the information gathering portion of the process and are available in several forms. Personal experience is the most beneficial form of information gathering because they're learned "first hand."
If a skier asked me, "Which run has the best snow?" I would know only about the runs that I had already skied. Another way to gain information is through an outside influence. They are dialogue, media, and reading. All outside influences rely on your trust of the source. Reading and media might have different agendas because of an association with advertisers and will contain varying amounts of information that lead you to their conclusion. Gleaning what you need without being tainted by their conclusion may be difficult.
These sources are somewhat more reliable then dialog because their facts can be checked, even-though the information may be incomplete or taken out of context. The most danger that my opinion can encounter is dialogue with others. When engaging someone in conversation about an opinion, you might want to steal a line from the old 'Dragnet' show, "just the facts' Mam!" Otherwise, the only information you might get is their opinion.
Contemplation - assess the information discovered in contribution. Assign a worth to what you think the outcome might be. Important opinions should be given more contemplation time because they take longer to develop accurately. Additionally, important opinions may need to return to the contribution step several times as they mature. The longer you take, the more chance an opinion will be yours. Opinions that are formed during hard times are not necessarily the same conclusions that you would have come to if contemplated at a different time. Often, one's most rigid and compassionate opinions are rooted in hurt, fear, anger or ignorance.
Knowledge and forgiveness can lead to a need to refine an opinion. Being willing to say, "I'm sorry, I was wrong, and you were right," is a sign of humbleness and respect.
Conclusion - the product that is the opinion.
Control - represents the catalog and distribution of the opinions stored in your brain. Some opinions are dormant, with an indefinite shelf-life, while others are jammed down the throat of anyone that stand still long enough. No matter where an opinion origins lie, when shared with others, they're "yours."
The Paradox Why is it so important for everyone to agree? A black and white world has so much more depth when gray is allowed to coexist. The true danger is when every agrees, you will then have, no opinion.
The first time I tried ice cream, it was the best ice cream I'd ever tasted. If I were a stubborn man, I would have never tried another because I had already tasted best. Being an explorer, I tasted more, which refined my opinion. If I tasted them all, someone might ask me, "which is best?" The correct answer for them is, "the one they like most." When someone agrees with one of your opinions, it gives that opinion validation. If our opinions differ, you may feel that the other is ignorant and the debate is on. If you know someone that loves to argue, have fun with them by agreeing with everything they say.
Most of the time, the conversation will be short because they don't know how to respond.
My Opinion It is my opinion that, we should embrace others opinions for what they are, love, learn and gain each others respect. Then, only then, can my opinions have any value when asked for them. I am a christian, and proud of it, but I don't feel that I have the right to judge or pretend that my life is any different that anyone else. Everyone has a value and something to offer and I respect that. By being your trusted friend, we can share and learn together. I trust you, and it is my opinion that you can trust me.
God bless,
Dennis
The dictionary defines an opinion as a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. Opinions are different from emotions and sensations, but are often presented as one.
Evolution of an Opinion (Just the con's) All opinions require "a need" to begin the process. If I ask your opinion on which reducing agent contributes the most to the development of mid-tone shadow detail over time, Metol or Hydroquinone, you may not have one, because you don't have a need. If you say, "it would depend upon it's ratio to Sodium Sulfite," then you've studied b&w film processing. Contribution - is the information gathering portion of the process and are available in several forms. Personal experience is the most beneficial form of information gathering because they're learned "first hand."
If a skier asked me, "Which run has the best snow?" I would know only about the runs that I had already skied. Another way to gain information is through an outside influence. They are dialogue, media, and reading. All outside influences rely on your trust of the source. Reading and media might have different agendas because of an association with advertisers and will contain varying amounts of information that lead you to their conclusion. Gleaning what you need without being tainted by their conclusion may be difficult.
These sources are somewhat more reliable then dialog because their facts can be checked, even-though the information may be incomplete or taken out of context. The most danger that my opinion can encounter is dialogue with others. When engaging someone in conversation about an opinion, you might want to steal a line from the old 'Dragnet' show, "just the facts' Mam!" Otherwise, the only information you might get is their opinion.
Contemplation - assess the information discovered in contribution. Assign a worth to what you think the outcome might be. Important opinions should be given more contemplation time because they take longer to develop accurately. Additionally, important opinions may need to return to the contribution step several times as they mature. The longer you take, the more chance an opinion will be yours. Opinions that are formed during hard times are not necessarily the same conclusions that you would have come to if contemplated at a different time. Often, one's most rigid and compassionate opinions are rooted in hurt, fear, anger or ignorance.
Knowledge and forgiveness can lead to a need to refine an opinion. Being willing to say, "I'm sorry, I was wrong, and you were right," is a sign of humbleness and respect.
Conclusion - the product that is the opinion.
Control - represents the catalog and distribution of the opinions stored in your brain. Some opinions are dormant, with an indefinite shelf-life, while others are jammed down the throat of anyone that stand still long enough. No matter where an opinion origins lie, when shared with others, they're "yours."
The Paradox Why is it so important for everyone to agree? A black and white world has so much more depth when gray is allowed to coexist. The true danger is when every agrees, you will then have, no opinion.
The first time I tried ice cream, it was the best ice cream I'd ever tasted. If I were a stubborn man, I would have never tried another because I had already tasted best. Being an explorer, I tasted more, which refined my opinion. If I tasted them all, someone might ask me, "which is best?" The correct answer for them is, "the one they like most." When someone agrees with one of your opinions, it gives that opinion validation. If our opinions differ, you may feel that the other is ignorant and the debate is on. If you know someone that loves to argue, have fun with them by agreeing with everything they say.
Most of the time, the conversation will be short because they don't know how to respond.
My Opinion It is my opinion that, we should embrace others opinions for what they are, love, learn and gain each others respect. Then, only then, can my opinions have any value when asked for them. I am a christian, and proud of it, but I don't feel that I have the right to judge or pretend that my life is any different that anyone else. Everyone has a value and something to offer and I respect that. By being your trusted friend, we can share and learn together. I trust you, and it is my opinion that you can trust me.
God bless,
Dennis
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dennis James on -
Thank you so much. I always believe that we can reply to post by just stating our opinion and not insulting the person we are replying to. Winning a debate comes from selling your point, not bashing the opposing side.
God bless,
Dennis
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Permalink Reply by Taylor on -
"Winning a debate comes from selling your point, not bashing the opposing side."
Agreed and in full.
I also have always enjoyed everything you write whether I always comment on it or not.
And I too thank you for being you.
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Permalink Reply by Donna on -
Dennis,
Opinons can be based on fact or an emotional component. Thus opinons may be objective or subjective. Was it "Dragnet" or some old cop show, "Just the facts, maam."
I'll respect any rational opinion but prefer the objective to the subjective. Most people tend to let their subjective opinion/viewpoint/emotions overrule the objective/"just the facts."
Give me sanity in this crazy world, give me facts I can depend on.
Seeking Sanity,
Donna
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Permalink Reply by Donald Croft Brickner on -
Hi, Dennis -- been meaning to jump into your exchanges at some point, and this a good time, I guess.
My own opinion about opinions is that, ultimately, it's like that old joke about a***oles -- everybody's got one ... and if you lasso in a whole slew of opinion-makers (these days, bloggers), you've got talking heads. I don't mean that to sound as cynical as it sounds -- but there is a point where opinions matter, even on a masses level ... although the irony is that in such an instance, the opinion-maker doesn't get to make the call as to how (or even if) their voiced words have impact or, on a more sinister level, lure in a voiced-opinions-following via popularity, which is as often a measure of falsehood as it is of truth.
The ability to accurately discern is the end-game for all of us, I'd think, although it's commonly one step ahead of us, seemingly always just out of reach. Even if we catch up (for a time), truth pushes forward.
One thing for sure (as you suggest) is we need to listen, to respect the other (if their opinion has been respectfully proferred) and to admit we're wrong when we are. I consider all of those to be attributes of humility.
I particularly liked Donna's response to this thread, here, as it reflects a "reasoned" cautiousness that many of my friends hold -- and do so a lot better than me, even though in Meyers-Briggs terms, I'm still predominantly a "T" (thinker). But one of the great gifts my ex-wife brought me was an appreciation for (if not a dropped-jaw incredulousness over) how well she, as an "F" (feeler), managed to end up correct far more often than I (and my mighty brain and trained logic) did. For me, it was like: how on earth did she DO that? I slowly discovered that her "F" saw the gaping holes in my logical ifs-leading-to-thens, but rarely made a big deal about it. More often than not, she found my "T"-ness amusing, and just moved on.
I opine for my avocation, and for me it feels like a calling. That's a subjective observation, but I find I'm gradually becoming much more comfortable with the flexibility and spaciousness of subjective calls than I am with purported (and too often one note) "objective" ones. I compare this topic a little to playing the basketball game of H-O-R-S-E: during my tour in the Navy, I once went to the gym daily for a break in the action to practice left-handed layups (I'm right-handed at almost everything). I got to be almost as good (if that's the word; it's certainly relative) at doing left-handed layups under the basket as right-handed ones ... which netted me zero practical usage while in the service. But: once I got out, I'd get together with old friends to play HORSE (where the player after you must duplicate your shot, and sink it, if you do); and after failure upon failure attempting to sink their jump shots or three-pointers, on my turn (after their misses) I did left-handed (i.e., weak-handed) layups ... and ended up winning far more many games than I lost -- not that winning or losing a game of HORSE is ever an issue. (Mostly, the game is a way to gather and socialize. There's an entire discussion to be had there on the nature and purpose of competitiveness, I suspect.)
In any event, and put into other words: ambidexterity is a good thing, I've found ... even in the world of opinions-making and exchanging.
DCB
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Permalink Reply by Traveler on -
Opinions are based on personal experiences. Since two bodies can not share the same space, opinions can only be relevant. Opinions can be shared, which allows the door to be opened for agreement or disagreement, but my opinions can not be someone elses. Just because we might agree that strawberry ice cream is the best flavor, my reasons may not be yours. Childhood memories, of sitting by the pool, eating a strawberry ice cream cone, on a hot afternoon, are brougt back, by eating a strawberry ice cream cone, today.
Not necessarily your reason for liking strawberry.
Even if the whole world loves strawberry ice cream, it would be the reason 'why', that would still make us different.
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