Well I didn’t think I needed to clarify that I’m not questioning whether or not something that’s written is really written. Of course, I’m questioning the truthfulness of the actual statement.
Or not so much it’s truthfulness, but rather whether or not it can be considered evidence. Though I realize that you take issue with arguing over word definitions, to me the word evidence has certain meaning that goes beyond every random written sentence, whisper or rumor that you encounter.
Though I realize that you take issue with arguing over word definitions, to me the word evidence has certain meaning that goes beyond every random written sentence, whisper or rumor that you encounter.
Around these parts, a claim that B is evidence for A is a taken to be equivalent to claiming that B is more probable if A is true than if not-A is true. Something can be negligible evidence without being strictly zero evidence, as in your example of a fairy story.
The fact that something is written, or not written, is evidence about the way world is, and hence to some extent evidence about any hypothesis about the world. Whether it’s strong evidence about a given hypothesis is a different question, and whether the statement written/not written is correct is yet another question.
Well I didn’t think I needed to clarify that I’m not questioning whether or not something that’s written is really written. Of course, I’m questioning the truthfulness of the actual statement.
Or not so much it’s truthfulness, but rather whether or not it can be considered evidence. Though I realize that you take issue with arguing over word definitions, to me the word evidence has certain meaning that goes beyond every random written sentence, whisper or rumor that you encounter.
Around these parts, a claim that B is evidence for A is a taken to be equivalent to claiming that B is more probable if A is true than if not-A is true. Something can be negligible evidence without being strictly zero evidence, as in your example of a fairy story.
The fact that something is written, or not written, is evidence about the way world is, and hence to some extent evidence about any hypothesis about the world. Whether it’s strong evidence about a given hypothesis is a different question, and whether the statement written/not written is correct is yet another question.
(See also the links from this page.)