ABSTRACT
Some people think that evidence is the ‘available facts’ but the complete definition presents a complex picture. The reference to ‘circumstances’ indicates the importance of context and the phrase ‘whether or not a thing is true or valid’, suggests that argument and evidence are interconnected. It is legitimate to draw conclusions from evidence besides using it directly to support premises. The voluminous edition of the dictionary defines the term ‘evidence’ as ‘ground for belief’ and ‘testimony or facts tending to prove or disprove any conclusion’.
