absence of evidence

[blouen]

Absence of evidence is not at all the same as evidence of absence.

* What does this mean?

[yara84]

Absence of evidence means that there is no evidence showing regarding the matter in question,

and an evidence of absence means that there is evidence to show that there is an 'absence' in something regarding the matter.

[Anglika]

The absence of evidence is not the same thing as evidence of absence =
The fact that there is no evidence about something does not mean that there is evidence that something does not exists.

For instance, the absence of evidence about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is not evidence that there were no such weapons.

[blouen]

Originally Posted by Anglika

The absence of evidence is not the same thing as evidence of absence =
The fact that there is no evidence about something does not mean that there is evidence that something does not exists.

For instance, the absence of evidence about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is not evidence that there were no such weapons.

Like in mermaids?

Having found no evidence of their absence(absence of evidence) is not an evidence that they are not existent.

But if we could find and evidence of their absence, then only we can conclude they are non existent.


P.S. Please correct my grammar as well, thanks!

[Anglika]

Originally Posted by blouen

Like in mermaids?

Having found no evidence of their absence(absence of evidence) is not evidence that they are not existent. [do not exist]

But if we could find evidence of their absence, only then can we conclude they are non existent.


P.S. Please correct my grammar as well, thanks!

ummm

If mermaids are absent, they must have existed.

The absence of [lack of] evidence of mermaids is not evidence of their non-existence or existence.