Are experiences facts or opinions?

Question

WhiteSteve · Accepted Answer

It can be both. The experience certainly has happened, that part is factual. Your emotional response to it during and afterwards is your opinion.

I think the human brain constantly searches for easy answers, and sometimes being quick and low-effort is easy, but often incorrect, and that’s where we can get into some trouble. Usually the first “reason” after you scratch off the surface level isn’t the REAL reason, it’s just the most convenient, so many will stop right there. “Person A engaged in Action B, and it was because of Reason C”, I don’t think it’s usually that simple. “Reason C” probably has a whole trail to it as to how one arrived there, because of Influence D, Outside Factor E, Special Circumstance F, and Social Problem G…. or something like that. The point is that Reason C isn’t to blame, Reason C is the symptom, not the cause. But does everyone else want to do the required legwork to go through “D, E, F, & G?” Usually not. Most of the time I feel like we just hustle to “Person A did Action B for Reason C, and Reason C is valid/invalid in my estimation, with no further questions or understanding given, which means Action B is decidedly good/bad without context or nuance, and that renders Person A wholly good/bad, also without context or nuance.” And I just simply think that’s a very dangerous and lazy thought pattern to get into as a society and as individuals.

Lockey_ · Accepted Answer

Interesting question.
Looking at my best (male) friend who wanted to commit suicide a few years ago because he was under the impression that everyone and everything on this world wants something bad to happen for him. Over the years he built a complex story about all of it but after all, i am his best friend and i don't believe any of what he says.

Now to the actual question: whenever my friend tells me something he lately experienced i sense it is some bullshit that only his brain assembled out of the complex network he built up in his brain for some reason. Again, in reality all of it is bullshit.

My final conclusion is that experiences are just something that each and every subjects brain makes up. It is a "fact" for this very subject only which makes it an opinion.

Xtcy2083 · Accepted Answer

If you had an experience then it's a fact that you had that experience, but if it was something really unusual then don't expect others to believe you, and don't get upset when they express their doubts.

Sirenboobzilla · Accepted Answer

Depends on the experience. If I fall down then I experienced gravity, which is real and factual. If 1 out of 10 guys cheats on me and I say all men cheat, that's an opinion

MrOracle · Answer

They are facts of limited relevance. They really happened, and are one point of data, but cannot be assumed to apply to all people or situations. It must also be remembered that you are also filtering your experience through your own action and biases that won't necessarily apply to other people - sometimes it will, of course, but sometimes it won't.

This is why the scientific method requires scientists to publish what they've done so that others can repeat the results (or not), and an idea or experiment only considered to be valid AFTER many others have repeated the tests and gotten the same results. It's why social scientists interview thousands or tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people before they draw conclusions that can be reasonably expected to apply to most people - and even then, there are always going to be a few exceptions.

Lliam · Answer

There are such things as facts. I stubbed my toe. The window got broken. I swam in the ocean. It's raining. I got mugged or raped. A loved one died. Facts are facts.

A the same time, some things that we believe are facts are not. Personal experiences are one thing, but things that we believe to be true based on what we learn in school, from media and from friends may be very far from factual. We can be made to believe falsehoods.

I'd say that experiences are facts but they are subject to our individual perception and interpretation. When one says they "feel" a certain way, that's a fact. Whether or not their feeling is based on reality is another matter.

jshm2 · Answer

Neither, they are experiences. You could have bad experiences or good, but there are many things in it that could be your behaviours, your opinions and factoids.

For example, your Hispanic neighbour gives you "bad vibes" and you've never had a good experience with him. There are no facts or valid opinions as you are to blame for the situation more than they are. But if something was to turn out to validate your experience, then you would be in the right.

ohshee · Answer

I have this saying you have to experience it before you understand it we can be book smart but do we really understand it for me I like to experience it so I understand it one hundred percent and even then I want to experience it again to become better at it so I think it's both

Likes2drive · Answer

That’s an interesting question because of their experience it’s a fact for them not just an opinion but everyone’s experience is different with the same things

The_Shadow_Dweller · Answer

Opinions. As the experience is biased up to you only. A fact can be a common point in a number of experiences.

nolabels · Answer

My wife and I went on a tourist excursion last week. We both shared the same experience. I hated it, she loved it. The actual experience is fact, our individual feelings about it are opinion.

Sonorous · Answer

Depends on what you mean by "experiences." Many use it in the emotional sense. But I would disagree that emotions are fact. We need to have these emotional illusions so that we can reach whatever goals nature has planned for us.

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

opinions, mostly. As they are subjective and individually.

Aerissa_Jade · Answer

If someone punches you in the face or hurt you someway and then ask yourself if that was a opinion or not. I'd say it was quite a fact.

AndyOh · Answer

I would think an Experience is a Fact, because it actually happened. However, I can have an Opinion about something because of an Experience I had in the past.

molonski2 · Answer

Interpretation of experience = opinion , or could be an opinion because two in the same factual circumstance have differing views eg : a robbery  Each experience has a personal tinge..

OddBeMe · Answer

Facts to you, opinions (technically) to everyone else. Opinions in that we don’t know if you’re lying, remembering wrong, etc. If we can’t investigate it’s opinion. Or commentary.

DJB72 · Answer

Experiences are experiences. How you relate the events of those experiences are either empirical or anecdotal evidence. Empirical evidence can be reproduced while anecdotal is observed

nonratracereality · Answer

You dont think experiences as opinions are real enough for you only and with convincing the opinions may be taken as a guide.

AviatorTom · Answer

Can be both. Facts if you remember every little detail. Opinions if you only remember part of it and make up the rest.

serious · Answer

They are facts. However, experiences are subjective.

Anon621 · Answer

I think it can go either way depending on how strongly someone feels about the experience

JosyJosy · Answer

Facts. Because they did happen. But how those make you feel or what you make of it, is the opinion part

DWornock · Answer

Experiences are the facts that happened. They may affect your opinions.

Anpu23 · Answer

An experience is both. The fact that you saw something is a fact, how you interpret it and how you feel about it is opinion.

Juxtapose · Answer

People telling me my experiences are just opinions give off the "don't believe your lying eyes" vibes.

Mark987 · Answer

They are facts.. because you have experienced it.. might not be the same for someone else... but it's a fact if you experience it

CoolGuy7532 · Answer

Neither. They are your mind's interpretation of a series of events which you were involved in.

cth96190 · Answer

Experiences are self evidently fact, because they happened.

Dchrls78104 · Answer

Experiences are facts for those who have been through them; on the basis of these they form their opinions.

Twalli · Answer

Facts. How you interpret them are opinions. For example, I was tortured. That is a fact. How I interpret it is not a fact.

Seangreen · Answer

Well it could be either it's really just subjective

KellyKOO · Answer

It could be both. Sometimes , an experience can be misinterpreted.

kellytheman · Answer

My experiences are facts because they have happen to me that gives me good advice and opinions.

najekim · Answer

Whatever you experience is "fact." How you tell others about that experience is an "opinion."

mrkdvsn · Answer

Experiences are facts to the experiencer, and stories to the person listening to the experiencer

Waldoe · Answer

"experiences" can be interpreted differently so they are Opinions also

Jerre · Answer

An experience is a fact. How you interpret it is an opinion.

soccerchick4eva · Answer

This confuses the heck out of my. head haha

wankiam · Answer

anicdotal evidence i would say

Flower7 · Answer

Facts because they actually happened.

humanearth · Answer

I would say facts because you lived them

exitseven · Answer

They are facts unless I just dreamed them.

DaveToo · Answer

Experiences are facts that lead to opinions.

Layafell · Answer

It can be both but doesn't have to

Deku2009 · Answer

Facts I am always honest

Stoner710 · Answer

Both

Anonymous · Answer

When I make an argument I'll back up with facts.

CandaceSims201 · Answer

Can be both.

Cubus · Answer

I think both.

SalvatoreCordileone · Answer

Fact

Soleil7001 · Answer

Is abortion murder?

noohair · Answer

Facts to you.

TheAfrikan · Answer

Opinions

postaldudePL123 · Answer

They're experiences

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