{
  "id": "dict_000364",
  "term": "Argument from Ignorance",
  "slug": "argument-from-ignorance",
  "letter": "A",
  "entry_type": "philosophy_worldview",
  "entry_family": "worldview_philosophy",
  "depth_profile": "deep_plus",
  "short_definition": "A logical fallacy that says a claim must be true because it has not been disproved, or false because it has not been proved. It treats lack of evidence as if it were evidence.",
  "simple_one_line": "Argument from Ignorance is a fallacy that claims something is true because it has not been disproved, or false because it has not been proved.",
  "tooltip_text": "A fallacy that claims something is true because it has not been disproved, or false because it has not been proved.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Logic",
    "Argument",
    "Fallacy",
    "Valid",
    "Rules of Inference"
  ],
  "see_also": [],
  "lede_intro": "Argument from Ignorance refers to a fallacy that claims something is true because it has not been disproved, or false because it has not been proved.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "Argument from Ignorance refers to a fallacy that claims something is true because it has not been disproved, or false because it has not been proved.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Category: logic and argument analysis.",
    "Useful in apologetics and doctrinal reasoning for testing arguments.",
    "A valid form alone does not guarantee true premises or sound conclusions."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Argument from ignorance is an error in reasoning that bases a conclusion on the absence of proof rather than on positive support. It commonly appears when someone says, \"No one has shown this is false, so it must be true,\" or the reverse. In Christian apologetics and everyday discussion, avoiding this fallacy helps keep arguments honest and carefully grounded.",
  "description_academic_full": "Argument from ignorance is a recognized logical fallacy in which a person concludes that something is true simply because it has not been disproved, or false simply because it has not been proved. The problem is not that uncertainty exists, but that ignorance or missing evidence is treated as decisive proof. This term belongs primarily to logic and argument analysis rather than to biblical theology itself, yet it is useful for Christians because clear reasoning serves truth, careful interpretation, and honest apologetic engagement. At the same time, identifying this fallacy does not settle every debate, since sound reasoning also requires true premises, fair handling of evidence, and submission to what God has revealed.",
  "background_biblical_context": "",
  "background_historical_context": "",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "",
  "key_texts_primary": [],
  "key_texts_secondary": [],
  "original_language_note": "",
  "theological_significance": "Theologically, the term matters because Christians are called to reason truthfully about God, Scripture, and the world. Bad arguments can obscure sound doctrine, while careful reasoning can help expose confusion and defend what is true.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "In logic and argument analysis, Argument from Ignorance concerns a fallacy that claims something is true because it has not been disproved, or false because it has not been proved. It matters wherever claims must be tested for validity, coherence, explanatory strength, and resistance to fallacy.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not confuse formal neatness with actual truth. A valid pattern cannot rescue false premises, and identifying a fallacy in one argument does not automatically settle the underlying question.",
  "major_views_note": "",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "",
  "practical_significance": "In practice, this term helps readers test claims, identify weak reasoning, and argue more carefully in teaching, counseling, and apologetics.",
  "meta_description": "Argument from Ignorance refers to a fallacy that claims something is true because it has not been disproved, or false because it has not been proved. It…",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/argument-from-ignorance/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/argument-from-ignorance.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}