Carlos said, "Research has not shown that people do not have psychic abilities such as ESP. I think we have to conclude that it is probable that some people do have psychic abilities." Which thinking error is being committed?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Carlos is committing the fallacy of arguing from ignorance. He is suggesting that just because research hasn't been able to disprove the existence of psychic abilities, we should assume that they do exist. This is problematic because absence of evidence is not evidence of presence, and until evidence supporting ESP exists, we should refrain from assuming that it exists.

Carlos Said, "Research Has Not Shown That People Do Not