Which statement captures Mill’s claim about unchallenged opinions?

Which statement captures Mill’s claim about unchallenged opinions?

• A. True beliefs should never be questioned.
• B. Even if wholly true, an unchallenged opinion becomes dogmatic.
• C. Debate should be avoided to prevent discomfort.
• D. Challenged opinions always confuse the truth.

Answer: (B)

Mill argues that opinions must be exposed to challenge and debate. If an idea is never questioned, the force of habit, authority, or social pressure can turn it into dogma, even if it is true. The process of airing objections and defending the belief helps test its validity, reveal hidden assumptions, and strengthen the justification behind it. In other words, truth isn’t guaranteed by mere possession of a true belief; it survives and remains robust only when it can withstand scrutiny. So a completely true opinion that goes unchallenged tends to become rigid and unquestioned, losing its vitality as a defended, justified position. This is why the statement that even wholly true beliefs become dogmatic when unchallenged best reflects Mill’s view. It also helps explain why he advocates for open discussion and why suppressing disagreement undermines the possibility of arriving at and maintaining genuine truth.

Mill argues that opinions must be exposed to challenge and debate. If an idea is never questioned, the force of habit, authority, or social pressure can turn it into dogma, even if it is true. The process of airing objections and defending the belief helps test its validity, reveal hidden assumptions, and strengthen the justification behind it. In other words, truth isn’t guaranteed by mere possession of a true belief; it survives and remains robust only when it can withstand scrutiny. So a completely true opinion that goes unchallenged tends to become rigid and unquestioned, losing its vitality as a defended, justified position.

This is why the statement that even wholly true beliefs become dogmatic when unchallenged best reflects Mill’s view. It also helps explain why he advocates for open discussion and why suppressing disagreement undermines the possibility of arriving at and maintaining genuine truth.