What gives you the right to an opinion?

By Ian Robinson

Opinions loom large in the contemporary world. They inform people’s behaviour. They lead to actions which seriously affect both individuals in particular and society in general. 

Everybody has opinions. Many people claim that they have a right to their opinions – that they are somehow entitled to them.

It is incumbent upon us to understand what an opinion is and to form an opinion about the concept’s merits and limitations. So let’s tease out the meaning, or meanings, of the word ‘opinion’, and explore the ways different shades of meaning can impact how the word can be properly used in human discourse.

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