Are proof and evidence the same?

Yavan

Strictly speaking, proof belongs to purely deductive sciences, such as mathematics and formal logic. You can never really prove a fact about the outside world. (What if we are being played by a trickster God into seeing a whole different reality?). The creationists have latched on to this fact to attempt to discredit modern science, but it is arguing in bad faith. For all intents and purposes, evolution is proven. (That is to say the evidence is overwhelming). Scientists don't talk about ''proof'' in that sense (a vernacular sense), but that's because scientists are very careful in the words they use.

sam

proof only exists in mathematics. science has preponderance of evidence

Jennifer

NOT THE SAME. EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THEORY, WHILE PROOF SUPPORTS FACT. Evidence can be proven true or disproven with proof/facts.

Gerry G

No, not the same. However, evidence can lead to proof.

Billandhiscats

No. Proof is certain. Evidence is a suspicious but unproven possibility.

MARK

No, proof and evidence are not the same thing. In science we seek evidence.

Anonymous

No. Proof is an inconceivable body of evidence from my understanding. Evidence is what is used to prove something. Scientific theories are essentially proven.

RP

Pretty much

Mercuri

Not quite the same but people tend to use them interchangeably. Evidence supports a proof.

Who

shame you already picked an answer - its totally wrong you see a man holding a gun standing over a man who has been shot that would be prima face evidence they shot them - but how does it prove they did? for example - the bullet that shot them may not have come from the gun the man is holding - the man may have been trying to defend the man agaisnt somebody who DID shoot him 2nd thing is- even if it did- how does that prove they pullled the trigger? for example- the person shot may have shot themselves- and the man holding the gun just picked it up somebody else may have shot them then discarded the gun and again the man just picked it up so yes you have evidence- but that evidence aint proof

Roger

HOW ABOUT A SUSPECT AND A PERSON OF INTEREST IS THAT THE SAME

Frank

Evidence can be used to prove something, but not necessarily on its own. Proof can be a single piece of evidence or a multitude of pieces.

Riley

No. Proof is usually reserved for mathematics and logic. Evidence is more for other sciences.

Tomi

Yes they are

Tom S

No, science does not typically use the term "proof." Mathematicians and distillers do.

Rick

Evidence is information or material that points to a situation or case being true, while proof is information or material that makes that case or situation undeniable where no one can realistically claim it isn't a fact.

Rain: proof

proof : evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true, or to produce belief in its truth. evidence : the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid

CarolOklaNola

No. Proof and evidence are two very different things. For SOME people there is NO proof they will accept. There may be evidence that they accept, but often they deny the evidence, claim it is fake or is fake truth. Their minds are closed. They don't understand the concepts if being objective and logical at the same time. Everything is personal for them because of their ignorance and fear. Their facts are uncoordinated and their logic us circular or not there at all. Its similar to the difference between data and information. Data is meaningless until it is organized, analyzed AND interpreted. Then SOME of that data becomes information. Information is NOT knowledge, and knowledge is NOT wisdom.

Zardoz

Evidence points to reality. Proof encircles it.

Pearl

i think they are

Erzsébet

No. You could have evidence of something that isn't true. You could see wolf tracks and say it's evidence a wolf was there-- but someone else could have proof that a human made those tracks with some tool. Some people think crop circles are evidence of alien activity. But they are not proof of alien activity. Proof is a word that works better in mathematics than in science. Science does not prove things, it's always open to being corrected with different evidence. We have every reason to believe evolution happened, but if we found some mammal fossils in the cambrian layer, we'd have to reconsider.

Truth is within you

Joy and love cannot be measured. It has to be recognized within, not outside.

Angelic

No.

runningman022003

Evidence is data. Proof is information

Anonymous

Evolution is a proven fact, and has been for a long time. Christians can stay deluded for as long as they want, but it isn't going away. It has utterly obliterated the Genesis account.

YKhan

Proof and evidence are synonyms, for the most part, as far as I can tell. Can't think of a place where you can use evidence and not proof, or vice-versa.