Evidently, evidence is...

Here are bits and pieces of our 10-23-08 discussion concerning "What should count as evidence?"

• evidence points to the truth
• shows proof, and/or actions that support a claim
• some memories may count as evidence
• it is personal, first hand experience (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social)
• it often comes through the five senses (see, hear, taste, touch, smell)
• the five senses are channels of experience, and the more channels are activated at once (or the more intensely a single channel is activated) the more 'real' the experience 'feels' and the more it may seem like strong evidence
• the testimony of other people often counts as evidence
• opinions are often considered evidence (we debated whether opinions should count as 'official' evidence)
• judgments/assessments often count as evidence (they might be viewed as falling into two categories: optimistic and pessimistic, and are directed toward a situation, person, or object)
• logic, reasoning, and intuition are often counted as evidence

A standout question was whether "real = rubriced normality."