Facts can be proven while opinions cannot. Objective evidence supports facts, while preferences support opinions. The difference can be subtle and experts may express opinions as facts.
Determining the difference between fact and opinion can be difficult. The most basic difference is that facts can be proven while opinions cannot. When trying to distinguish between the two, consider whether there is any objective evidence to support the claim. If so, it is most likely a fact. If not, it’s most likely an opinion.
For example, it is a fact that some apples are red and some are green. There is extensive documentation to support the presence of both types of apple. Someone can visit a grocery store, apple orchard, or farmer’s market and physically see that there are both kinds of apples. No matter how a particular individual feels about either color of apple, there’s no question that some apples are green while others are red. The color of apples is objective, meaning that no matter how many people look at them, there will still be red apples and green apples.
If a person says that red apples taste better than green apples, they are expressing an opinion. The statement is subjective, because it is based on preference. Another person might like green apples, while a third might like both equally. There is no empirical data or evidence to support the view that red apples taste better.
Sometimes facts and opinions can be confusing. For example, a man might say he likes red apples more than green ones. It feels like an opinion because he’s expressing a preference. The claim is actually a fact, however, because he is stating demonstrable information. An objective observer might verify that humans do, in fact, prefer red apples.
The confusion between fact and opinion can also arise when an expert expresses an opinion as if it were fact. For example, a cookbook might say green apples are better for making a pie. It sounds like a fact, but it’s actually an opinion, because the term “best” is subjective. The author of the cookbook may have meant that green apples have a lower water content than red apples and thus prevent the crust from becoming soggy. This statement would have been a fact because the water content of a green apple and the effect on a pie crust can be observed, measured and demonstrated.
According to the author, a firmer crust is better, so he claims green apples are better. Someone else may prefer a softer crust and therefore may want to use red apples instead. Another person may not like green apples at all, so red apples would be better for them, regardless of water content or its effect on the scab. As this example indicates, the difference between fact and opinion can be quite subtle and can solely depend on how a statement is worded.
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