Evidence

Evidence (also known as daliil) is information, matter or fact presented to support or contradict a claim. Evidence is not itself a conclusion; it is what conclusions are based upon. A claim without evidence remains at the level of speculation.

The term is used across different fields: law, science, history and philosophy. Each field has specific criteria for evaluating evidence: how it was obtained, who presented it, and whether it can be verified or not.

Evidence in law

In courts, evidence may take the form of witness testimony, documents, physical objects, or expert reports. Many legal systems have rules governing the admissibility of evidence and the burden of proof—specifying who is obliged to prove what. Evidence obtained through unlawful means is excluded by some legal systems.

Evidence in science

In science, evidence comes from observation and reproducible experiment. Information obtained once and not reproducible has less weight. The standard approach is to test hypotheses, and to evaluate results using statistical methods that show the likelihood that a result is due to chance.

Type and degree

Evidence is distinguished between direct (for example, someone who witnessed the event) and circumstantial, inferred from signs. It is also distinguished between original evidence and evidence that has passed through many hands. Generally, evidence closest to the event and evidence that can be verified carry greater weight.