Argument from silence
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To make an argument from silence is to express a conclusion that is based on the absence of statements in historical documents, rather than their presence. In the field of classical studies, it often
Marco Polo's travel journals are silent on the Great Wall of China, which some believe (against the historical consensus) is evidence of him never visiting the country, or rather exemplifies his gift in diplomatic mindfulness.
A page of a medieval Talmud
A denier from Bourges, 1180
Evidence of absence
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Evidence of absence is evidence of any kind that suggests something is missing or that it does not exist. What counts as evidence of absence has been a subject of debate between scientists and philoso
Argument from silence
…Damnatio memoriae Evidence of absence Philosophic burden of proof…
An exhaustive inspection of the attic for vermin can provide evidence of absence, but any sign of mice will always suffice to the contrary.