Burden of Proof
(Who has to show their work, and why it matters)
Arguments often fail not because of what is claimed, but because of who is expected to defend it. The burden of proof is the principle that the person making a claim is responsible for providing sufficient evidence for it.
This may sound obvious. In practice, it is routinely ignored.
What the Burden of Proof Is
When someone asserts that something is true, they take on an obligation:
If you make the claim, you must justify it.
This does not mean the claim must be proven beyond all doubt. It means there must be positive reasons to accept it, proportional to how strong or extraordinary the claim is.
The burden of proof rests with the claimant, not with the audience.
What the Burden of Proof Is Not
A failure to disprove a claim is not evidence in its favor.
Statements like:
- “You can’t prove it didn’t happen”
- “No one has shown it’s false”
- “Science can’t explain this yet”
do not shift the burden. They attempt to evade it.
A claim unsupported by evidence does not become more credible simply because it hasn’t been refuted.
How the Burden Gets Shifted
A common tactic is to reverse the responsibility:
“If you don’t believe this, prove me wrong.”
This move reframes skepticism as an obligation to disprove a claim rather than a reasonable response to insufficient evidence. It turns doubt into a defect instead of a default position.
In rational inquiry, withholding belief is justified until evidence is provided.
Degrees of Burden
Not all claims carry the same weight.
- Ordinary claims require modest evidence
- Unusual claims require stronger evidence
- Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence
This is not special pleading. It’s proportionality. The more a claim conflicts with well-supported knowledge, the more justification it requires.
Why This Matters
Misplacing the burden of proof allows almost any claim to survive indefinitely. If belief were the default, and skepticism had to justify itself, false ideas would accumulate unchecked.
The burden of proof protects inquiry from that outcome. It ensures that beliefs earn their place rather than slipping in through exhaustion, politeness, or rhetorical pressure.
A Simple Test
When evaluating a claim, ask:
- What exactly is being asserted?
- What evidence is offered in support of it?
- Would this evidence be sufficient if the claim were false?
If the answer to the second question is “none,” the argument stops there.
Why Skeptics Emphasize This Principle
Skepticism is not cynicism. It is the refusal to accept claims without adequate justification. The burden of proof is what keeps that refusal principled rather than arbitrary.
Belief should follow evidence.
Not the other way around.