Argument from Ignorance: "Nobody Proved It's NOT Real!"

Hook

Imagine this: your friend slaps their phone down on the lunch table and says, "Dude, I'm telling you — mermaids exist. Scientists have never proven they DON'T."

And for a second you think... wait, is that... valid?

Spoiler: It's not. But it sounds weirdly convincing, right? That's the trap. And once you learn its name, you'll spot it everywhere — in conspiracy theories, in arguments with siblings, even in your own head at 2am.

Welcome to the Argument from Ignorance.

What's Actually Going On?

The argument from ignorance (fancy Latin name: argumentum ad ignorantiam) works like this:

"There's no proof it's FALSE, therefore it must be TRUE."

Or flipped around:

"There's no proof it's TRUE, therefore it must be FALSE."

Both versions are bad logic. Here's why.

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Just because we haven't found proof of something doesn't mean that thing exists. And just because we haven't disproven something doesn't mean it's real.

Think about it this way: nobody has proven that a giant spaghetti monster ISN'T orbiting Jupiter right now. Does that mean it is? Of course not. We just haven't looked hard enough — or we can't look at all. "We don't know" doesn't automatically become "therefore yes."

The burden of proof belongs to the person making the positive claim. If you say mermaids exist, you need to find the mermaid. I don't need to un-find it.

Real-Life Examples (Yes, These Are Everywhere)

On social media:

"Scientists have never explained why some people can sense ghosts. Checkmate atheists."

→ The lack of a scientific explanation isn't proof ghosts exist. It might just mean no one's done the study yet — or that the question doesn't have a measurable answer.

In comment sections:

"They've never found evidence linking 5G towers to health problems? Yeah, because they're HIDING it."

→ This is a double whammy: first the argument from ignorance, then a conspiracy layer on top. If hidden evidence could always be the explanation, nothing can ever be disproven.

In everyday life:

"You can't prove you didn't eat my leftovers."

→ Okay, technically... but come on.

In health misinformation:

"This supplement has never been proven harmful!"

→ That often just means it hasn't been studied. "Not proven harmful" ≠ "safe."

How to Spot It

Ask yourself: Is someone using the absence of proof as the proof itself?

Watch for phrases like:

• "Nobody has disproven..."
• "There's no evidence against..."
• "They can't prove it's NOT true!"
• "Science hasn't explained this yet, so..."

That last one is tricky because it sounds humble — like they're just pointing out a gap in knowledge. But gaps in knowledge aren't open invitations for any conclusion. "We don't fully understand consciousness" doesn't mean your cat is secretly plotting world domination. (Probably.)

A solid argument needs positive evidence — actual data, observations, studies, something. Not just a gap where the counterproof should be.

Your Challenge

The Reverse Claim Game 🎮

Pick any wild, unprovable claim. Something fun:

• Unicorns live underground
• The moon is hollow
• Your math teacher is a robot

Now try to "prove" it using the argument from ignorance: "No one has proven it ISN'T true!"

Then write down what actual evidence would look like if it were true. Underground unicorns would leave... what? Tracks? Tunnels? Hoof-shaped sinkholes?

Notice the difference between "we can't disprove it" and "here's real evidence for it."

Share your best unprovable claim in the comments and challenge a friend to find actual evidence for it. Bonus points if it's completely absurd. 🦄

Next up: Whataboutism — the art of answering a question with a completely different question.