WEBVTT 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Is it a fact, or is it an opinion? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Does it matter? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Both are important. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But knowing how to distinguish between fact and opinion 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 can help us to better understand 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what we read and hear, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and how we form our opinions. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let's take a look. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Facts are objetive, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which means they are not influenced 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 by what someone thinks or believes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A fact is indisputable 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and cannot be changed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are some key questions to identify facts. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 1) Can it be measured or confirmed with calculations or data? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For example, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 two plus two equals four. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We can add the numbers and demostrate 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that this stament is true. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 2) Can it be observed? Can we see it happen? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For, instance, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99% of people cannot lick ther elbow. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is true. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is a fact that can be observed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Research has determined that one over a hundred people 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 can successfully complete this task. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 3) Can it be verified by primary sources, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 such as research, photographs, newspapers, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and other facts? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Here is an example, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Nintendo was started in 1889. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is a fact because it can be verifed 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 by many sources. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A man named Fusajiro Yamauchi, from Japan 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 founded Nintendo as a playing card company in 1889, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and now is one of the largest gaming companies in the world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now, let's move on to opinion, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which sometimes can be a little trickier. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 An opinion is a statement 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of believe or judgement. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Opinions express which someone thinks or feels. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 An opinion can change. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let's look some examples. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Ice cream is delicious. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Many people believe this but some people don't. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It is a judgement, and therefore an opinion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When we evaluate something or somebody 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we often use adjectives such as important, beautiful 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 fun or difficult. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 An adjective that allows to judge something 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is a clue that a statement is an opinion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Another signal word for opinions is the word should. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Here is an example. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Everyone should learn more than one language. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Whether may be very good reasons 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to learnn more tnan one language, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 not everyone would agree, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 personal value do itself. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Political views are opinions. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Different people hold different ideas 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 about what societies are, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and how is the best to address them. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Since opinion can´t be proven or disproven, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 there is no right or wrong answer, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 just different view points. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 While opinions may be supported by facts and evidence, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the issue we care about will still be 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For example, I can say that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 going to school year-round is better for students. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are supporters of this viewpoint. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Someone argues that a shorter vacation period 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 would prevent students from forgetting what they learnt, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or say that students often get bored over the summer. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or that other countries around the world use a year-round system. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 However, we cannot prove that the stament is true. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are many reasons to think that a tenth- month calendar is better. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can argue that a student needs an extended break, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that they should be allowed to participate in other summer activities. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or that a lack of air conditioning means 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they shouldn't be inside school buildings in the summer. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If we look back at the statement, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we can also identify another signal word for opinion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The word better. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When we are comparing different things, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or we see words like 'greatest','best' or 'better', 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it can suggest we are looking at an opinion statement. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Another type of opinion is a prediction. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Often predictions are made on experience. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 knowledge or research. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But because they are based on the future, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we can't actually verify them today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let's look an example. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Driveless cars will represent 10% of all cars in 2026. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That sounds both amazing and scary. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Although there are so many factors about car technology 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we have no way of verifying the statement today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, it is an opinion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 One thing to remember is that just because 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we believe something to be true, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that does not make it a fact. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let's recap what we learnt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Can it be measured or confirmed by data? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Can it be observed? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Can we verify its truth with other sources? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Does it say the same? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If we answer yes to one of these questions 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that means it is a fact. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 An opinion is a statement of believe and judgement 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that cannot be proven to be true. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Does it evalute someone or something? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Can we debate it? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Does it make a prediction? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Can it change? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you may answer 'Yes' to these questions, is an opinion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Knowing how to separate between fact and opinion, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 help us to understand information 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and shape our own beliefs about the world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Try it and see if you can use these questions 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and tell the difference in your own light.