There can be no doubt.....

[jackfaire]

I have realized this is a phrase that bothers because it assumes or implies that if I hold a different Opinion then I am a moron. If I think something is badly written or not the classic that other people think it is then I am supposed to consider myself a moron?

If you want to say, "There can be no doubt you jump off a 10 story building it's going to hurt" then yeah I would have to say there can't be as that is a fact.

If you say, "There can be no doubt The Who is one of the greatest bands ever" (disclaimer I love The Who) Then I beg to differ my friend for indeed this is an opinion and your opinion is not the only one that matters though it is likely the only one that matters to you.

I mostly dislike turns of phrase like this because they seem to say, "I won't even discuss this with you unless you agree that my opinion is the right one and we discuss how right it is"

That is without a doubt..... you thought I was gonna say it didn't you.

The English language people let's treat her right.

[HYHYBT]

I'll use that sort of phrasing from time to time... but only when it's become pretty obvious that whoever I'm disagreeing with *knows* that the thing they're trotting out to support their side is untrue, or near enough as presented, and keeps trying to use it as evidence anyway. Precisely because it's essentially calling the other person an idiot or liar without actually saying so, which, even when true, is rarely a good way to proceed with anything like a rational discussion. On the other hand, you're not going to have much of a rational discussion with an idiot or a liar anyway