- What is something subjective?
- What does it mean to "be subjective"?
- Difference between subjectivity and objectivity
- Objective law and subjective law
We explain what something subjective is, its importance and its differences with the objective. In addition, objective right and subjective right.
What is something subjective?
In the philosophy Western culture, the notions of object (what is real, external, concrete) and subject (what is interior, sensitive, abstract) have been opposed in different ways, and therefore also those of objectivity and subjectivity. The first thing would be what is linked to the object, that is, the objective; and the second would be what is linked to the subject, that is, the subjective.
These concepts are present in the idiom, that is, in the very way of thinking: we call subject who performs the action of the prayer, and object to the elements involved (direct object: who receives the action; indirect object: who benefits from it; circumstantial object: who describes the context, etc.).
The important thing is that, according to this way of thinking about things, the experience of the world is divided into these two terms: the objective, which is equal to itself regardless of who perceives it, and the subjective, which is that which depends on the internal considerations of the person who perceives it, and that therefore may vary from one individual to another.
The distinction between the objective and the subjective has been the subject of study in philosophy since ancient times, and more recently in philosophy. sociology, the psychology and other scientific disciplines. At speaks However, these terms are used without much problem, such as synonyms of "absolute" and "relative", respectively.
When we claim, for example, that a journalist or a newspaper article lacks objectivity, we mean that his description of what happened is not neutral, but is highly influenced by personal factors: the journalist's position regarding the journalist, political affinities the newspaper in which we read it, the ulterior motives behind the note, and so on.
For all this belongs to the realm of the subjective, that is, the personal, the debatable, what belongs to a specific point of view. The bare facts, on the other hand, without interpretation, are objective in nature: they are the same regardless of which newspaper we read them in.
What does it mean to "be subjective"?
Every day we use the subjective term as a synonym for personal, partial, flawed, who has interests in the matter in question; that is, the complete opposite of something objective (neutral, impartial, impersonal).
Thus, when we accuse someone of being subjective when exposing an issue, we are accusing him of not approaching it with sufficient distance from himself, and of confusing (intentionally or accidentally) his opinions, his points of view, his personal biases, with the facts and the reality objective.
Depending on the context, the subjectivities of each person must be kept safe, or exposed in a frank way, without disguises. The opposite can be interpreted as an attempt to manipulate others, to influence their opinions and to advocate for one's own point of view.
Of journalism, the science and other similar disciplines, objective performance is expected, that is, free from interpretation, consisting of verifiable facts. An experiment, for example, will yield an objective result, no matter what the scientist who performs it thinks about it.
On the other hand, fields of knowledge such as the arts, history, philosophy, public opinion and the like, depend on a certain subjectivity of interpretation. That is why opinions, passions, points of view have a place.
This does not mean, however, that in these disciplines the knowledge is always relative and nothing can be affirmed, but must be done through arguments, that is, to convince others of the viability from your own point of view.
Difference between subjectivity and objectivity
As we have said before, subjectivity and objectivity differ in the following:
- The subjective has to do with the subjects, the objective with the objects. That is, the first has to do with the persons, the second with reality.
- The subjective is variable, debatable and arguable, while the objective is self-evident, obvious and verifiable.
- The subjective depends on the inner world of individuals, while the objective depends on the outer world. For this reason, the same objective fact can be interpreted from various subjective points of view.
- The subjective is multiple, the objective is unique.
Objective law and subjective law
In the legal field, there is also the distinction between objective and subjective law, and it is a central distinction within the very concept of what the law right is.
Thus, it is possible to understand the law objectively, when we consider it as a set of rules Y laws to follow (positive law Y natural law), whose existence implies an obligation, a series of duties that are universal for all citizens that live in a nation and that they share the same legal system.
That is the objective right. For example, traffic laws are clear and universal, no matter who is behind the wheel of a car. They are objective.
But at the same time, the law has a subjective and individual dimension, which gives people the ability to act before the law according to their free will, that is, it gives them powers. These subjective powers are:
- Liberty, given that a person can act as he pleases as long as he does not carry out actions punished or prohibited by law.
- Can, given that a person can carry out certain legal acts within their power (such as buying, selling, signing a contract, sue someone, etc.).
- Claim, given that a person can demand from others the fulfillment of certain duties or obligations established by law.
Thus, subjective right is one that gives the individual the possibility (not the obligation) to carry out certain legal actions, and whose legitimacy comes from the consensus of society itself, that is, from the social agreement of coexistence and the necessary rule of law.
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