Is Absence of Evidence Evidence of Absence?

Is Absence of Evidence Evidence of Absence?

This video tackles one of the most commonly misunderstood ideas in reasoning and critical thinking: when does not finding evidence actually count as evidence against a claim? We often hear this phrase used in debates about science, religion, conspiracies, and everyday decision-making—but it’s rarely unpacked carefully.

Rather than preaching a conclusion or telling you what to believe, this video focuses on the process of reasoning itself. It explores how context, expectations, background knowledge, and standards of evidence all matter when deciding whether a lack of evidence should influence our confidence in a claim. In some cases, absence of evidence truly is meaningful. In others, it tells us almost nothing at all.

If you want to sharpen your ability to evaluate claims, avoid common reasoning mistakes, and think more clearly in complex or emotionally charged discussions, this video is for you.

Presented by Bo Bennett, PhD, founder and creator of the Cognitive Fitness App, this episode is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen reasoning skills without pushing ideology—only better thinking.

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