Certain parts of the Talmud suggest that the reason minority opinions are recorded is because one can actually later use them as a precedent for a ruling.
But I get the sense that different streams as well as rabbis have a diffrent sense of when one can use a minority opinion.
The ultra-orthodox seem to act as if you cannot use them at all, and can only follow the majority opinions embodied in the codes.
Even patrilineal descent is attested as a minority opinion in the Talmud, and could in fact be drawn on halachically.
“And why do they record the opinion of the individual against that of the majority, since the law may only be decided in accordance with the opinion of the majority? So that if a court approves of the opinion of the individual it may rely on him.
mEduyot 1:”
“The law is always in accordance with the opinion of the majority. The opinion of the individual is recorded against that of the majority only to render it invalid. R. Judah says: The opinion of the individual is recorded against that of the majority only because the times may require it, and they may rely on it. And the Sages say: The opinion of the individual is recorded against that of the majority only because it might be that one declares something impure, and another, pure; one might declare it impure according to R. Eliezer. They will be able to say to him, you heard this according to R. Eliezer”
tEduyot 1:4
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Source: Reditt
