Distinguishing truth and opinion in philosophy

Contemporary philosophy

1. What are the differences?What are the differences?

2. WHY TRUTH MATTERS?WHY TRUTH MATTERS?
WHY CARE FOR THE TRUTH?WHY CARE FOR THE TRUTH?
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?

4. OPINIONSOPINIONS
•An opinion is a statement that An opinion is a statement that cannot be cannot be
proved or checkedproved or checked
•It tells what someone It tells what someone thinks, feels, or thinks, feels, or
believesbelieves
•Clue words for opinion statements are:Clue words for opinion statements are:
•think, feel, believe, seemthink, feel, believe, seem
•always, never, all, none, most, least, best, always, never, all, none, most, least, best,
greatest, worstgreatest, worst

5. TRUTHTRUTH
•It is the conformity between It is the conformity between
the mind and the objectthe mind and the object. .
•(Correspondence Theory)(Correspondence Theory)

6. FACTSFACTS
•Truth can be Truth can be checkedchecked or or
provedproved
•We can check by conducting We can check by conducting
some sort of some sort of experiment, experiment,
observationobservation, or by , or by verifying verifying
(checking) the fact with a (checking) the fact with a
source document.source document.

7. METHODS OF PHILOSOPHYMETHODS OF PHILOSOPHY
1.1.ANALYSISANALYSIS
2.2.DISTINCTIONDISTINCTION
3.3.SYNTHESISSYNTHESIS

8. ANALYSISANALYSIS
•It means to break something It means to break something
up into up into parts, pieces, reasonsparts, pieces, reasons, ,
or steps and look at how these or steps and look at how these
pieces are related to each pieces are related to each
other.other.

9. EXAMPLEEXAMPLE
Research title: Research title: Social Media and Study Habits of Senior High Social Media and Study Habits of Senior High
School StudentsSchool Students
You have to identify the keywords and separate them.You have to identify the keywords and separate them.
Author Social Media Study Habits

10. DISTINCTIONDISTINCTION
A difference or contrast A difference or contrast
between similar things or between similar things or
ideasideas. (Oxford University). (Oxford University)

11. •When you make a When you make a
distinction, you say that distinction, you say that
two things are different. two things are different.

12. PRETTYPRETTY VS. VS. HOTHOT

13. SYNTHESIS SYNTHESIS
•It means to It means to combine a number of combine a number of
different pieces into a whole. different pieces into a whole.
Synthesis is about Synthesis is about concisely concisely
summarizing and linking different summarizing and linking different
sources in order to review the sources in order to review the
literature on a topic, make literature on a topic, make
recommendations, and connect your recommendations, and connect your
practice to the research.practice to the research.

14. HINTS FOR DECIDING IF A HINTS FOR DECIDING IF A
STATEMENT IS STATEMENT IS TRUTHTRUTH OR OR OPINIONOPINION
•To recognize a To recognize a TRUTHTRUTH::
•Read each answer choice and ask yourself:Read each answer choice and ask yourself:
•““Can this statement be proved?”Can this statement be proved?”
ExampleExample: Which of these is a TRUTH?: Which of these is a TRUTH?
A.A.We live in the best apartment in the city.We live in the best apartment in the city.
B.B.I believe that summer is the best season.I believe that summer is the best season.
C.C.I think that spaghetti is a delicious meal.I think that spaghetti is a delicious meal.
D.D.The Philippine Star is a newspaper.The Philippine Star is a newspaper.

15. HINTS FOR DECIDING IF A HINTS FOR DECIDING IF A
STATEMENT IS A FACT OR STATEMENT IS A FACT OR
OPINIONOPINION
•To recognize an To recognize an OPINIONOPINION::
•Read each answer choice and ask Read each answer choice and ask
yourself “Does this statement tell what yourself “Does this statement tell what
someone someone thinks, feels, or believesthinks, feels, or believes?”?”
•Look in the answer choice for clue Look in the answer choice for clue
words that signal an opinionwords that signal an opinion

16. OPINION EXAMPLES:OPINION EXAMPLES:
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS NOTNOT AN AN
OPINION STATEMENT?OPINION STATEMENT?
•I think that US is the best state in which to live.I think that US is the best state in which to live.
•Chocolate cake is the most delicious kind of Chocolate cake is the most delicious kind of
dessert.dessert.
•Nearly 65% of our teens are over-weight.Nearly 65% of our teens are over-weight.
•Taylor Swift is the greatest singer ever!Taylor Swift is the greatest singer ever!

17. WHEN YOU’RE WRITING….WHEN YOU’RE WRITING….
•Remember:Remember:
•Facts are often used to Facts are often used to
support opinionssupport opinions
•Good opinions are Good opinions are
based on facts, but based on facts, but
they are they are still opinionsstill opinions