Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy)

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The distinction between subjectivity and objectivity is a basic idea of philosophy, particularly epistemology and metaphysics. Various understandings of this distinction have evolved through the work of philosophers over centuries. One basic distinction is: Something is subjective if it represents first-person subjective experience (such as perception, emotions, opinions, imaginary objects, or conscious experiences). If a claim is true exclusively when considering the claim from the viewpoint of a sentient being, it is subjectively true. For example, one person may consider the weather to be pleasantly warm, and another person may consider the same weather to be too hot; both views are subjective. Something is objective if it can be confirmed through observation, experimentation and intersubjective dialogue. For example, the discovery of penicillin began with an initial (subjective) observation of its antibacterial effects. This observation was subsequently investigated through rigorous experimentation, leading to objective evidence that established penicillin as an effective antibacterial agent. The two are usually regarded as opposites; beyond that sources differ: both ideas have been given various ambiguous definitions. The distinction is often treated as a given, not the specific focal point of a discourse, necessitating modern explorations into the complications regarding the binary: e.g., the view of particular thinkers that objectivity is an illusion and does not exist at all, or that a spectrum joins subjectivity and objectivity with a gray area in-between, or that the problem of other minds is best viewed through the concept of intersubjectivity. The distinction between subjectivity and objectivity is often related to discussions of consciousness, agency, personhood, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, reality, truth, and communication (for example in narrative communication and journalism).