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Who wrote the phrase 'absence of evidence is not evidence of absence'?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
This is a phrase attributed to British astrophysicist Martin Rees, which is cited from a proceedings of the Life Beyond Earth & The Mind of Man symposium, 1972, jointly sponsored by Boston University and NASA. It is also mentioned by astrophysicist Carl Sagan in his book The Demon-Haunted World, 1995.
The statement is made as an endorsement of healthy skepticism, but it often taken out of context to suit religious-based (i.e. theistic) arguments for god's existence. However, as the typical objection to this argument asserts, just because a proposition cannot be conclusively proven false does not, therefore, mean it is true. The point here is that the concepts of evidence and proof are conflated.
Absence of evidence is absence of evidence, but it is not proof of absence. That is, proofs are determinate and definitive. Evidence is merely something that supports or denies the potential validity of an argument.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence?
A:That is correct: absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The philosopher, Bertrand Russell wrote that if he claimed that a perfectly formed teapot were orbiting the sun in the asteroid belt, it would be nonsense for him to expect others not to doubt him just because they could not prove him wrong. Russell was illustrating that there was no evidence for the tepot, but reasonable people would conclude that it does not exist. His teapot is still referred to in discussions concerning the existence, or otherwise, of God.
How can use a sentence for absence?
In the absence of credible evidence, the judge dropped the case. Due to the absence of the teacher, a substitute was called.
Why does the Apologetics always say Absence of Evidence is not Evidence of Absence whenever they have no facts to support their arguments?
It is a valid criticism of argumentation that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Just because we do not know that something exists does not mean that it really does not. Of course, this cuts both ways, and apologetics are at least as guilty of referring to alleged absence of evidence to imply that something does not exist or is not true. For the early Jews, the absence of evidence that Jesus was the anticipated Messiah would have been reason enough to reject the claim. In this case, it was appropriate for the Christian Church to provide actual evidence that he was the Messiah, and for many Jews the Church failed that test. In other cases, the absence of evidence can be a supporting argument where evidence ought to exist. For example, the absence of evidence that Paul knew Jesus to have lived in the recent past, does not prove that Jesus was not a real person of the first century. However, when combined with Paul's lack of interest in visiting the birthplace of Jesus and the further lack of evidence that he ever visited Calvary or the tomb, it makes a persuasive case for further investigation. Fortunately, secular scholars can provide real evidence in support of their views and do not rely on absence of evidence.
What is the meaning of absence?
Absence typically refers to the state of being away or not present. It can also describe a lack or deficiency of something, such as absence of mind (distraction) or absence of evidence.
What is a sentence for the word absence?
In the absence of further evidence, the case was dropped. Due to the absence of Mrs. Jackson, we'll need a substitute teacher for room 12.
What is the definition of implied evidence?
That phrase is a fallacy. - Evidence is a fact. If it is only 'implied' then it can not be evidence.
What is defined as the tendency to dought the validity of claims in the absence of evidence?
skepticism
How to reply to Unauthorized Absence from Work memo?
How to respond to an Unauthorized Absence from Work memo depends on the circumstances of your absence. If you believe your absence was authorized, you should draft a potential support with your viewpoint, supported by any evidence you have.
Is defined as the tendency to doubt the validity of claims in the absence of evidence?
________ is defined as the tendency to doubt the validity of claims in the absence of evidenceAnswer this question…
What absence of war or other hostilities?
The phrase used for the absence of war or hostilities is, itself, peace. Peace is a goal that many strive for.Ê
In lieu of my absence a correct sentence?
'In lieu of my absence' is a phrase, not a sentence. As a phrase, it is grammatically correct, and could form part of a sentence, although it is not easy to think of such a sentence. It means 'Instead of my being absent ... ' So, how about 'In lieu of my absence, you have my presence!' as a jocular exclamation made by someone who turns up at a meeting for which s/he has previously given an apology for absence.
How do the UFOs affect the community?
It would be reasonable to assume that they don't, given that the evidence for actual UFOs are, to put it mildly, lacking. Although the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence, the only rational conclusion we can draw is that UFOs don't exist, and thus could not directly affect a community.
