Can An Opinion Be Wrong Or Right? Full Explanation

Most opinions cannot be wrong. After all, they’re a personal belief or idea that we feel strongly about, and no one can tell us otherwise. However, there are cases where opinions can be wrong, and this article will show you both right and wrong opinions.

Can An Opinion Be Wrong Or Right?

Any opinion that covers personal preferences is always right (i.e., “I like chocolate ice cream”). Even if someone doesn’t agree, the opinion is still right for you. However, any opinion based on false evidence can be proven wrong, thus making them wrong opinions overall.

The definition of “opinion,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a thought or belief about something or someone.”

So, what does all of that mean?

Well, most opinions are based on personal beliefs and thoughts. Therefore, no one else can tell us what our preferences are for things.

However, if we have a factually incorrect opinion (i.e., “the earth is flat”), then someone can easily prove that opinion to be incorrect. While you might still choose to believe it, it is clearly wrong.

Examples Of When An Opinion Is Wrong

To help you understand when opinions might be wrong, we’ll give you a few examples. Each of these opinions is based on facts that can be proven false, thus making the opinions wrong.

In my opinion, the earth is flat.
In my opinion, dinosaurs never existed.
In my opinion, Donald Trump won the latest election.
In my opinion, we never landed on the moon.
In my opinion, vaccinations cause autism.

As you can see, these opinions are all factually wrong. It’s not difficult to prove that all of them are based on lies or false information.

When an opinion is wrong, we can find evidence to prove it. We can also show this contradicting evidence to the person whose opinion it is, but don’t be surprised if they’re not willing to believe in the evidence provided.

To many people, opinions are sacred and untouchable. If you challenge their opinion, you challenge their intelligence and way of life. Some people have a hard time accepting that they’re wrong, and they’re best left alone to believe in whatever they want to.

Examples Of When An Opinion Is Right

Now, let’s look at when opinions are right. Most opinions are inherently “right” because they’re based on personal preferences. However, some are based on factual evidence, which also means they’re right.

Personal Preference

In my opinion, chocolate is the best flavor of ice cream.
In my opinion, there need to be more days off in a year!
In my opinion, I need to be paid more for my job.

We decide upon personal preferences based on what makes us happy. We can share our opinions with others without anyone thinking our opinions are wrong.

Of course, some people will disagree with you, and they might even say your opinion is wrong. However, it is impossible for somebody else to tell you what you like and what you don’t like, so your own opinions on these matters are always correct.

Factual Basis

In my opinion, dinosaurs did exist.
In my opinion, the government has done the best it can with a bad situation.
In my opinion, people have a hard time accepting when their opinions are wrong.

While not all “factual” opinions are strictly based on “facts,” that doesn’t mean they’re not right.

We can use factual opinions to show that something is right. It still shows a personal preference or belief of some kind, but there is no way to prove anything against the opinion we’re sharing.

What Is The Difference Between Opinions And Facts?

An opinion is a thought or belief we have about a subject or thing. We can think or believe in whatever we want to without anyone judging us. A fact is based on hard evidence, and we usually have to source that evidence before we can even share it as a legitimate fact.

Facts are impossible to disprove once they’re set in stone. When research has been carried out, and people have accepted that a “fact” is true, we accept that forever, and there is no way to change that fact.

Here’s a fact:

The earth is round.

This has been proven many times before, and it’s clear that the earth is a round rock floating in space. This is therefore a fact, and there is no way we’ll ever find another reason to think it isn’t round.

However, opinions are much more fickle, and we can always change our opinions based on experience or other people.

Here’s an opinion:

Watermelons are my favorite fruit.

While many people will keep their opinions the same throughout their lives, there are always cases that might change that. One day, you might go off the taste of “watermelons,” or someone might introduce you to a new fruit that’s better. Therefore, your opinion would change.

Can An Opinion Be A Fact?

An opinion can never be a fact. Once an opinion can be backed with scientific knowledge and evidence, it stops being an opinion and starts being a fact. There is no way to have an opinion that is also a fact.

Can You Have An Opinion Without Knowledge?

You can have an opinion without knowledge. In fact, most people develop their opinions this way. If you can’t find suitable evidence for a thing that you want to believe in, there is no reason for you to come up with an opinion, even if you never have the knowledge for it.

For example, someone might believe that the earth is flat.

No notable knowledge sources tell us this is true (since the earth is round). However, that person would still be able to believe the earth is flat even without knowledge. That’s the beauty of an opinion.

Can An Opinion Be Good Or Bad?

Opinions can be both good and bad. Good opinions are related to things that do not offend or oppose other people’s views (i.e., liking music or food). Bad opinions are offensive to many or based on lies or false information (i.e., telling people you don’t like them due to discrimination).