Axioms

[goldfinch]

I was brought up to be respectful of others and that people were entitled to their opinions, even if wrong headed. It took me a while but I finally figured out that opinions without facts to back them up are worthless and a worthless opinion is not entitled to respect. Harlen Ellison said it the best:

Everybody has opinions: I have them, you have them. And we are all told from the moment we open our eyes, that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Well, that’s horsepuckey, of course. We are not entitled to our opinions; we are entitled to our informed opinions. Without research, without background, without understanding, it’s nothing. It’s just bibble-babble. It’s like a fart in a wind tunnel, folks.


And, from Charles Darwin:

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge