What is a fact, and what is an opinion? (like an opinion that something is beautiful)

Generally everyone already knows intuitively what the meaning of fact and opinion is. In common discourse everyone can convey an accurate fact, and express an opinion that something is beautiful.

But if you learn these basic concepts of reasoning very precisely, then that will make you more efficient, and increase your power of intelligence a good deal.

Starting with the concept of fact.

Definition: A fact is obtained by evidence of a creation, forcing to produce a 1 to 1 corresponding model of it, in the mind.

Example: Say a crime has occurred, and the police question witnesses about the facts of what happened.

"he came at her with a knife", "he held the knife high"

Basically the police make a 1 to 1 corresponding picture of what occurred. And that's all facts are, just copying from nature, to a model of it in the mind. Copying to pictures, to words, to mathematics.

What to know about facts:

• Facts apply to creations.
• A creation originates by choice.
• The substance of creations is called material. The material domain.
• Facts are forced by evidence

Now on to the more difficult concept, the concept of opinion.

Definition: An opinion is formed by choice, and expresses what it is that makes a choice.

Why the concept of opinion is more difficult, is because the concept depends on "choice". And if you talk about choosing, then you get into the socalled "problem of free will".

This is where you need a precise definition of choosing.

Definition: To choose means, to make one of alternative futures the present. Or it can be defined as. making a possible future the present, or not the present.

The main thing to remember is that in choosing we are anticipating a future of possiblities.

Now back to explaining how an opinion is formed.

Example: To say "I find the painting beautiful".

• The opinion is formed by spontaneous expression of emotion with free will, thus chosen.

• In choosing other possiblities presented themselves, like saying the painting is "ugly", "gorgeous", "interesting". Any chosen opinion is equally logically valid.

• A forced opinon, like to be forced to say the painting is beautiful, provides an invalid opinion.

As you can see, the logic of opinion establishes that there is a spiritual domain. The spiritual domain is defined as all what makes a choice.

Emotions, the soul, God, personality, the self, are all defined in terms of that they make choices, and are therefore spiritual. Therefore it is a matter of chosen opinion if they are real.

It is a matter of chosen opinion what emotions are in someone's heart. To say fear is in the heart, or hate, both opinions are equally logically valid.

Some opinions might be noted as weird, mean, or unfair. But weirdness, being mean, or being unfair, is not logically invalid.

To deny God exists, is sort of equivalent to denying a particular emotion like fear or love exists. It is logically valid, but it seems weird. But that it is weird, is just my opinion.

Take a close look at how to apply the concept of fact and opinion.

The brain is organized in terms of decisionmaking processes. Purely objectively the decisionmaking appears as randomness. Because any decision in the event can turn out one of several different ways.

In the event, some neuron in the brain may fire, or not fire.

Then with subjectivity we feel what the spirit is in which those decisions are made, and express a chosen opinion on what it is.

Then the decisions which objectively appear as randomness, become meaningful expressions of fear, love, courage, and whatnot.

Basically in the universe in general, it's the same deal as with the brain. But in the universe there isn't much organization apparent in the decisionmaking.

In the universe in general it's more a question of very many independent decisions, without an apparent organization to them. Like the atoms of a cloud of gas. The atoms go all over the place.

In any case, still the same logic of opinion applies to the decisions in the universe in general, as it also applies to the decisions in the brain.

One can choose an opinion in what spirit those decisions are made. Usually one would only just choose the opinion it is "spirit".

What to know about opinion:

• Opinions are chosen.
• Opinions express what it is that makes a choice.
• The substance of what makes a choice is called "spiritual". The spiritual domain
• The spirit creates the material, by choice, and chooses which way the material turns out.

Curiously, as opinions are chosen, it means opinions are also creations. Therefore opinions are material, and it is a fact what an opinion consists of. We can see, as fact, the word "beautiful".

The same goes for a fantasy figure like Spiderman. It is a creation, therefore material, therefore factual.

But if we consider what emotions Spiderman has, like saying "Spiderman is angry", then it seems to me the emotions would still be spiritual.

In conclusion, the basic logic of fact and opinion can be summed up with the following creationist conceptual scheme:

1. Creator / chooses / spiritual / identity of which is a matter of chosen opinion
2. Creation / chosen / material / existence of which is a matter of fact forced by evidence