[Frank Castros]

A fact is indisputable. Facts can be objectively verified and proven through evidence. Facts are not decided by how many people believe in them. They are concrete realities that don’t change. Facts are determined by objective, not subjective, measurement. As evidence mounts, facts become irrefutable. Over time, we acknowledge facts. We don’t create them.

Opinions, on the hand, are value judgments that expresses a feeling or view. They may or may not be supported by facts. Opinions rely on assumptions and are exceedingly dependent on the perspective of those holding them. They are also highly temporal and can change quickly when new information or facts become available. A deep commitment to an opinion doesn’t make it any more or less accurate.

Truth is created by people to describe how things really are. They are best described as a state of belief that is thought to represent a universal reality. We decide what truths we are willing to believe in. Truths don’t have to be logical or verifiable. They simply have to be shared. They can arise from faith, commitment, or experience. When like-minded people agree as to a given reality of how things are, then a truth emerges.