A fact is always a fact. It never changes and is never wrong.

But...

What we perceive as a fact might be wrong because its not indeed a fact but a mere belief. Many people thought that it was a fact that the sun went around the earth. But that wasn't a fact but merely erroneously believed to be a fact.

The trick in understanding the world around us is being able to discern what are facts and what are merely perceived to be facts. In thinkabit's egg example, it is a fact that the chook lays an egg every other day. But depending on how the data is gathered and evaluated it could be perceived as factual that the chook never lays an egg or lays one every day. The trick is being able to look at the data and the way its gathered to see that what is perceived as factual may not be so and then assigning probability to each based on other facts or one's experience.

There are too many people in general who see a 'fact' as presented by an 'expert' and decree that it unassailably true. It rarely is.

“It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of our own ignorance.” – Thomas Sowell

Some people consider the Bible to be a fact.
It makes no sense to believe that, or that
the world is only a few thousand years old
but there are people who are SURE of it.

A fact as stated earlier can be a fact
and then cease to be a fact anymore.
There is always more to learn.

Can discussion change my mind? No, but it can send me off on a line of study that can.

Like most I simply believed the story of global warming caused by the villain CO2. Then came Watergate, & we saw that many of the so called scientists were lying & conniving activists. Many leading the argument really were con men.

That did not convince me of anything, but sent me off on a mission to learn the truth. It took 3 months to get my long disused math back up to where I could follow the equations, but once there, the truth was obvious. CO2 can not do what it is blamed for. Then along comes Covid, & these so called vaccines. This has proved even more strongly that so called scientific opinion is most definitely NOT to be trusted, with out sound proof. What ever your opinion, science is now totally discredited, & not to be blindly trusted.

There have been other subjects where a single opinion has sent me off looking for the facts before I form my opinion. Once formed however, I am very unlikely to be swayed, except by some new evidence. Mere opinion will never do it.

There are other subjects, such as Black Lives Matter or homosexuality, where there is no right or wrong opinion. There is not even a single reason for people to hold their opinion. No amount of conversation will effect my opinion on these subjects. Nor do I expect to change the opinion of others. Ones life experience will dictate their opinion on such things.

So today the worm has turned, I don't accept any opinion without personally researching the subject. This applies most strongly to bits of bumph published by academics driven by publishing & grant seeking requirements.

Facts are there to be discovered and opinions are to be debated, and always will be. Non tangable ideas are always open to debate or discussion depending on the passion of the idea held.

Foxy said: "Some people consider the Bible to be a fact.
It makes no sense to believe that". That is her opinion not based in anything that opinion. What is written in the Bible was observed by ancients and interpreted in thei understanding. The facts did not change but our understanding of the facts did.

The beliefs are fact, what is believed in is questionable !

Having witnessed the intellectual and moral change in people brought about by accepting Christ as Lord of their life over many years. It is not merely discussion that changes minds, it is moral revelation. The fact of their guilt is revealed and a better way and truth and life is revealed.

From Peter a devout Jewish Zealot and fisherman to accepting God is the Saviour of all men and nations to him becoming a martyr for this new revelation. The Apostle Paul a intellectual Jewish scholar arresting Christians to be put to death for religious heresy to becoming one by revelation that God was not just God of the Jews but Gentile nations also. These were the beginning of change, that God was the God of Agape love and forgiveness of his enemies and Christ Jesus antagonists. There are literally millions of Christians in the world today that have found God not by debate or cohersion but by personal freedom and thought and revelation.

Pick up a Challenge Magazine and read the stories of change in lives and thinking. http://www.challengenews.online/australia/