We say that everyone is entitled to his opinion; what no one seems to realize is this right comes conjoined with a responsibility to form that opinion well.
2 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Doesn't the quality of a well formed opinion depend on the audience and the level of common understanding that they share with the person who formed the opinion? Is it the responsiblity of the person who shares his opinion with a select audience also responsible for crafting it in such a way to make it acceptable for all audiences?
Acceptable to all audiences? No. Assuming you mean something like palatable to all audiences. But there are also relatively objective standards of critical analysis. Have alternative views been considered? Is the opinion such that it could be defended rationally with an appeal to factual or widely-accepted principles? Is it even an opinion that has been questioned by the person who states it? If an opinion ought to be given any weight, it must be one that has been explored by its holder.
2 comments:
Doesn't the quality of a well formed opinion depend on the audience and the level of common understanding that they share with the person who formed the opinion? Is it the responsiblity of the person who shares his opinion with a select audience also responsible for crafting it in such a way to make it acceptable for all audiences?
Acceptable to all audiences? No. Assuming you mean something like palatable to all audiences. But there are also relatively objective standards of critical analysis. Have alternative views been considered? Is the opinion such that it could be defended rationally with an appeal to factual or widely-accepted principles? Is it even an opinion that has been questioned by the person who states it? If an opinion ought to be given any weight, it must be one that has been explored by its holder.
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