Pronunciation: uh-PIN-yun
Simple meaning
Opinion means a belief, judgment, conclusion, or view about something.
Today, people often use opinion casually. Someone may say, “That is just your opinion,” meaning it is only a personal preference or unsupported idea. In Big Book study, the word deserves more careful attention, especially because of the Doctor’s Opinion.
Older meaning
Older dictionary definitions often describe opinion as a judgment, view, belief, or conclusion formed in the mind.
That older meaning matters because opinion does not always mean a random guess or casual preference. An opinion may be weak or strong, careless or careful, uninformed or informed. It depends on who is giving the opinion, what it is based on, and how it is being used.
Why this word matters
In Big Book reading, “opinion” is especially important because the Doctor’s Opinion is not usually treated by readers as a casual personal thought.
The word can point to a considered professional judgment based on observation, experience, and medical understanding.
That does not mean the word opinion becomes the same thing as absolute proof. But it also does not mean “just someone’s idea” in the dismissive modern sense.
In this context, opinion can mean a serious view offered by someone with experience in the subject being discussed.
Common misunderstanding
A common misunderstanding is to hear opinion and think, “That means it is not important.”
Another misunderstanding is to treat every opinion as equal, regardless of knowledge, experience, observation, or honesty.
In Big Book study, it may be more useful to ask:
Who is giving this opinion?
What experience or observation is behind it?
Is this a casual preference, or a considered judgment?
How is the opinion being used in the surrounding discussion?
Helpful meeting handle
A common idea in meetings is that the Doctor’s Opinion helps explain the physical and mental parts of alcoholism.
That can be a useful handle. It reminds readers that the word opinion here is connected with a doctor’s professional view, not merely a casual guess.
But the word still needs care. Opinion is not the same as gossip, preference, or slogan. It is a judgment that should be weighed by its source, context, and usefulness.
Study note
This website works best with a copy of the Big Book in your hand. Look for the word “opinion” in the Doctor’s Opinion and nearby discussion. Notice whether the surrounding passage is talking about medical judgment, observation, experience, alcoholism, allergy, craving, or the condition being described.
Related words
allergy
phenomenon
craving
experience
alcoholic