Burden of Proof Fallacy
Also known as: Onus Probandi, Shifting the Burden
What is Burden of Proof?
The burden of proof fallacy occurs when someone makes a claim and then demands that others disprove it rather than providing evidence to support it. In rational discourse, the person making a positive claim bears the responsibility of providing evidence for that claim. Shifting this burden to the opposition — demanding they prove the claim false — reverses the standard of evidence and can be used to assert virtually anything without justification.
Example
A debate about the existence of a conspiracy.
“The government is secretly controlling the weather. You can't prove they're not, so it must be true.”
The person making the extraordinary claim provides no evidence and instead demands that others prove a negative. The inability to disprove something does not constitute evidence that it is true.
How to Spot It
- A claim is made without supporting evidence.
- The speaker demands that others disprove their claim rather than proving it themselves.
- Inability to disprove is treated as confirmation.
- Phrases like 'prove me wrong' or 'you can't disprove it' are used as arguments.
How to Counter It
- Remind the speaker that the person making the claim is responsible for providing evidence.
- Point out that inability to disprove something does not make it true.
- Ask directly: 'What evidence do you have that supports your claim?'
- Explain that the same logic could be used to 'prove' any unfounded claim.
Related Fallacies
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