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Ordinary Time

Reasoning & Fallacies

Burden of Proof

noun

The responsibility to support a claim — it rests on the one asserting it, not on others to disprove it.

Not To Be Confused With

“You can't prove me wrong” is not a victory: the burden lies on whoever makes the claim. Shifting it to the other side is itself a rhetorical move to watch for.

Whoever advances a position owes reasons for it. In theological debate, identifying who carries the burden on a given point clarifies the whole conversation — and Theologos's argument maps state explicitly where the burden falls on each disputed question.

Related Terms

Seen In These Debates

Burden of Proof — Definition | Theologos Media | Theologos Media