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Full Idea
In the medieval view, evidence short of deduction was not really evidence at all.
Gist of Idea
In the medieval view, only deduction counted as true evidence
Source
Ian Hacking (The Emergence of Probability [1975], Ch.3)
Book Ref
Hacking,Ian: 'The Emergence of Probability' [CUP 1975], p.22
A Reaction
Hacking says the modern concept of evidence comes with probability in the 17th century. That might make it one of the most important ideas ever thought of, allowing us to abandon certainties and live our lives in a more questioning way.
| 7447 | Probability was fully explained between 1654 and 1812 [Hacking] |
| 7448 | Probability is statistical (behaviour of chance devices) or epistemological (belief based on evidence) [Hacking] |
| 7459 | Follow maths for necessary truths, and jurisprudence for contingent truths [Hacking] |
| 7449 | Epistemological probability based either on logical implications or coherent judgments [Hacking] |
| 7450 | In the medieval view, only deduction counted as true evidence [Hacking] |
| 7451 | Formerly evidence came from people; the new idea was that things provided evidence [Hacking] |
| 7452 | An experiment is a test, or an adventure, or a diagnosis, or a dissection [Hacking, by PG] |
| 7454 | Gassendi is the first great empiricist philosopher [Hacking] |