What is Evidence?

Abstract

Evidence is an event entangled with whatever you want to know about through causes and effects. When evidence about a target, such as untied shoelaces, enters your eyes, it is transmitted to the brain, processed, and compared with your current state of uncertainty to form a belief. Beliefs can be evidence in themselves if they can persuade others. If your model of reality suggests that your beliefs are not contagious, then it suggests that your beliefs are not entangled with reality. Rational beliefs are contagious among honest folk, so claims that your beliefs are private and not transmissible are suspicious. If rational thought produces beliefs entangled with reality, then those beliefs can be spread through sharing with others. – AI-generated abstract.