I’m going to tentatively disagree with this article’s author … two people can do their best to draw empirical conclusions based on the same factual evidence, but form two different opinions.  These differences can result from unavoidable bias, differences in understanding, contextual background knowledge (expertise), each party’s paradigm for interpretation, each party’s command of logic, and each party’s level of intelligence.

All opinions should be entertained in academic discourse, right? The opinion that is better based on fact is the more informed one, but it is our job to determine that when we disagree.  An opinion can be wrong.  But we shouldn’t dismiss them outright, correct?  We should examine the extent to which they are supported by logic and evidence.

http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/no-it-s-not-your-opinion-you-re-just-wrong-7611752