Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Right to Your Opinion

It's such a simple way to end an argument: "Well, I'm entitled to my opinion."

Not according to logic. As author Jamie Whyte points out, one person's entitlement creates another's obligation. Think about it: if you are entitled to cross the street safely, I am obligated to not run you over in my car. But what if you're wrong in your thinking? What if we're in London, about to cross the street, and you look the wrong way and think the coast is clear? Am I obligated to watch you step off the curb and get crushed? Comprehension questions will accompany the vocabulary quiz Friday, August 19.


The Right to Your Opinion -

16 comments:

  1. As I read this and think back to sophomore year, I can clearly remember the Socratic Seminar in class. Everyone was mad and upset as Dr. Preston debated with us on whether we had the right to our opinions or not. Reading through this now I can't even comprehend my lack of knowledge that day. I know I was closed minded and not open to anything than what I thought was true, that I did not even bother to read another "stupid packet." I am glad I have read it now because I understand it better than I did two years ago. To me it is no longer just some "stupid packet." Thank you for giving us the opportunity to read over it again.


    Lizzie Level
    Period 2

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  2. This is very interesting, I plan to use this in the future when someone tries to tell me how wrong I am. I am not entitled to my own opinion.

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  3. After reading this I think back to the sophomore year Socratic seminar, where I was closed minded about this whole situation because I truly did believe that you were able to have your own opinion on everything and that your opinion was right. Boy was I wrong. Thank you for letting us revisit this subject
    Chad Foster
    Per.2

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  4. I totally agree with Lizzie. It's funny how Sophomore year I looked at this passage completely differently. Now that it's two years later I can look at it a little closer and analyze it more so than I thought I was capable of doing my Sophomore year. I remember people saying that it's your "right" to have an opinion and everyone had their opinions about having opinions! I want to see how everyone will view it now.

    Kaley, per 2

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  5. I agree with Lizzie. I am so much more open minded this year and am thankful that I took the time to read this because I will be prepared anytime I have a discussion with someone and they use that cliche: "Well, I'm entitled to my own opinion". Two years ago this packet was a drag to read, but this time around I find it educating and interesting.

    Kayla McCallie, Period 2

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  6. As everyone else said, it is so funny how i read this for the first time just 2 years ago and it felt like a foreign language. Reading it again now, I actually get it! This essay is genius and can change the way many people view their own opinions.

    Briana Stinn Period 3

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  7. I get into "creative discussions" a lot with people from church or my close friends. It's always frustrating when someone uses that cliche. Now, I can easily come back with an argument why they need some facts and why they can't just base everything off their beliefs or opinions.

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  8. I forgot to put my name and period :)
    Missy Tuttle
    Period 2

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  9. I understand that using that cliche changes the subject away from the real discussion, and that person is basically saying that they dont have a counter argument. If you're arguing with someone or having a creative discussion, the purpose is to show them why you're right by using details and facts. A lot of the time we dont even listen to the other side of the arguement because we are so stubborn and stuck on the idea that our way is right. On the other hand, many people can read the same thing and interpret it differently. Does that mean they are wrong for analyzing it in a different way than someone else?

    Nicole Anderson Period 2

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  10. Ahhhh sophmoore year i remember this. Never going to forget how much it puzzled me to comprehend we are not even entitled to our own opinion. Sophmoore year i didnt understand it much but now that i read it again it makes a lot more sense. It would be fun to use this in an argument one day.

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  11. Jojo Relyea
    Per. 3

    I don't remember what my "opinion" was on this matter, but I don't know if I was open minded enough to understand it as I think I do now. This makes me think of sophmore year, but also makes me think how much has changed since then. My priorities are different and conversations I have with my friends where one may use this "right" are different. We, as teenagers, get so caught up in our own drama we think we are right about everything and everything that is happening to us is the biggest deal in the world. This packet makes me think abut my own thinking and whether what I am dwelling on is worthwhile or not.

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  12. Does anyone else find/remember this being slightly depressing?...

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  13. @Matt, i felt the same way

    As for the passage (much like everyone else) i have a completely different view on it then i did 2 years ago. That was because 2 years ago i used this very phrase almost evrytime i felt i was losing an arguement. Now, looking back on this, to prove yourself in an arguement, you need facts, and logic; or you will just end up falling into an infamous fallacy.

    Ryan McGinley
    Period 6

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  14. Nicole, it's perfectly valid for different individuals to interpret a text through the lens of their own knowledge, feelings and experience, and therefore to arrive at different conclusions.

    Matt, why did you find this depressing? Do you still?

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  15. In general, an opinion is a subjective belief, and is the result of emotion or interpretation of facts. An opinion may be supported by an argument, although people may draw opposing opinions from the same set of facts. Opinions rarely change without new arguments being presented. Opinions are never right or wrong, they are merely a figment of what someone believes. However it can be reasoned that one opinion is better supported by the facts than another by analysing the supporting arguments.[1] In casual use, the term opinion may be the result of a person's perspective, understanding, particular feelings, beliefs, and desires. (Wikipedica.com)

    --- I find it odd that when she starts this article she talks about how your right is some one else's obligation. Then gives examples about Jack and Jill. For after Jack had stated his opinion (which is his right), Jill had no obligation to reply, it was of her choice. I mean I get the term in a sense, but I do not believe it goes for all the times an rightful opinion is given. Also when remebering this thought from last year I don't remember finding it depressing. But I do remember reevalutaing who I was. Because with out my own opinon, do I know who I am or what I enjoy? So that was a very deep experience for me. Now when I read this article I don't see it the same way. In fact im not thinking about myself in general at all. I'm actually thinking about how their is a humans rights court. And I am wondering how they decide what our rights are? Because everyone is different. It's not like you can just put us in a one size fits all category. Yet I am also wondering about how when we state an opinion it is usually to talk about the matter at hand, and most times join into a conversation. Little do we know though that by talking about our opinion we are no longer talking about the subject matter rather we have now "beguiled" the conversation towards our selves. Now that I am on the subject of our selves, it brings me to think about our rights, how is it we can have contradicting rights? For if it is our right to live a healthy life, is it not our right to die? And yet are rights violated by saying we have a right to our body , that is unless you cause harm to yourself (so it seems), then when you die your right is also violated? Either way it is your body giving up on you, thus bringing harm to yourseflf. This brings me to ask, do we have the right to die? Or are we all being "contumacious" ? Well those are my thoughts on this article --- Ashlie Pfeifer Per. 0

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  16. This article was very interesting to me. Jamie Whyte gave me a completely different perspective on the right to my own opinion.

    Syerra Fox
    period 2

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