3 A Philosophical Approach
Facts, Belief, Opinion and Truth
Aphorisms abound, in the internet age, to help guide us through the digital jungle that’s the World Wide Web. “Correlation is not causation” is one; another is “you are entitled to your opinions but not your own facts.”
An “opinion” can belong to anyone without any consideration to “belief,” “truth” or “fact” and it is always subjective.1 “Belief” is also subjective and closely related to opinion – it is an acknowledgement of a state of affairs (real or unreal). “Truth,” on the other hand, is less subjective and can be personal or generally believed by a group of people. “Truth” is less subjective than an opinion and is closely related to “fact.” A “fact” ...
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