Testimony is Evidence

[Ravenshire]

To declare something as evidence takes a whole canopy of references, not just eye-witness accounts. Stuff like repeatable observations/experiments, several independent observers, blind testing and so on.

No, it doesn't. Any eyewitness account is evidence. You are confusing the word evidence with the word proof. Evidence refers to pieces of information or facts that help us establish the truth of something. Proof is a conclusion about the truth of something after analyzing the evidence. Evidence is suggestive of a conclusion. Proof is concrete and conclusive. Proof can also have different thresholds: Anywhere from more likely than not (preponderance of the evidence), to beyond a reasonable doubt, to absolute. These are all arrived at by considering evidence.

Too bad for you that testimony is the weakest of evidences and hearsay is the weakest form of testimony.

[The Grand Nudger]

All that people telling stories helps us to establish is that people tell stories.  Nothing within those stories is capable of certifying or establishing the accuracy of their contents. Even by your own description of evidence, Steve, testimony doesn't count.

Here, try;

-I just ate a homemade quarter pounder. Two slices of roundtop whole wheat and two slices of american cheese

There's my testimony. What facts above help you to establish the truth of something, and what truth have you established by reference to that testimony?

[Pat Mustard]

I am an idiot, and don't understand the difference between evidence and assertion.

Fixed your post for truthfullness and accuracy.

Seeing as you've already had this unevidenced assertion debunked in your previous thread, I see no reason to humour you this time.

[SteveII]

No, it doesn't. Any eyewitness account is evidence. You are confusing the word evidence with the word proof. Evidence refers to pieces of information or facts that help us establish the truth of something. Proof is a conclusion about the truth of something after analyzing the evidence. Evidence is suggestive of a conclusion. Proof is concrete and conclusive. Proof can also have different thresholds: Anywhere from more likely than not (preponderance of the evidence), to beyond a reasonable doubt, to absolute. These are all arrived at by considering evidence.

Too bad for you that testimony is the weakest of evidences and hearsay is the weakest form of testimony.

Most of the time you don't get physical evidence--especially for events. So, the best evidence possible is often going to be testimonial evidence.

[Anomalocaris]

Too bad for you that testimony is the weakest of evidences and hearsay is the weakest form of testimony.

Most of the time you don't get physical evidence--especially for events. So, the best evidence possible is often going to be testimonial evidence.

Best possible =/= good enough.

The difference between atheists and morons is, to the atheist, not good enough is not good enough. To the theist moron, not good enough becomes good enough if you say Jesus three times.

[LadyForCamus]

To declare something as evidence takes a whole canopy of references, not just eye-witness accounts. Stuff like repeatable observations/experiments, several independent observers, blind testing and so on.

No, it doesn't. Any eyewitness account is evidence. You are confusing the word evidence with the word proof. Evidence refers to pieces of information or facts that help us establish the truth of something. Proof is a conclusion about the truth of something after analyzing the evidence. Evidence is suggestive of a conclusion. Proof is concrete and conclusive. Proof can also have different thresholds: Anywhere from more likely than not (preponderance of the evidence), to beyond a reasonable doubt, to absolute. These are all arrived at by considering evidence.

Sure...eye witness testimony may very well be evidence, but it's not necessarily evidence for the particular claim it's being asserted as evidence for.

If I claim I spoke to the devil last night and he told me to do a square dance around Big Ben and then kill everyone, my testimony may actually be evidence that I'm a paranoid schizophrenic.

[vorlon13]

Testimony is evidence?

Damn, Mormonism is true now.


Fuck . . . .

[Minimalist]

No, it doesn't. Any eyewitness account is evidence. You are confusing the word evidence with the word proof.

So you think that you can walk in to a court of law, say you saw someone steal something and that's it?  No one is going to question your word?

Testimony becomes evidence when the defense attorney says "no more questions" and even at that point it is up to the jury to decide how credible the witnesses' account was.  You seem to have no concept of the difference between credible and credulous!  Which does not surprise me.  I wouldn't take your word that the sky was blue without some heavy duty corroborating evidence.  This is what happens when you profess to believing in fairy tales.  You lose credibility.

[Court Jester]

To declare something as evidence takes a whole canopy of references, not just eye-witness accounts. Stuff like repeatable observations/experiments, several independent observers, blind testing and so on.

You are confusing the word evidence with the word proof.

They're kind of one in the same there buddy.

Proof http://www.dictionary.com/browse/proof?s=t
noun
1. evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true, or to produce belief in its truth.

Evidence http://www.dictionary.com/browse/evidence?s=t
noun
1. that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof.

[Ravenshire]

Too bad for you that testimony is the weakest of evidences and hearsay is the weakest form of testimony.

Most of the time you don't get physical evidence--especially for events. So, the best evidence possible is often going to be testimonial evidence.

Being the only evidence doesn't keep it from being shitty, hearsay evidence. Shitty evidence may be good enough for you, but I have higher standards.

Aside from supernatural claims, what kind of event do you think leaves no physical evidence?