Anecdotal Evidence

The people sometimes base their decision on simple word of mouth or based on the experiences of a few persons. This is simply a case of anecdotal evidence and cannot be taken to mean that the subject under discussion is true no matter what. In fact, it can be simply a story heard from one or other member of the group.

In legal area anecdotal evidence has no place and requires substantial circumstantial evidence to prove that the topic is true. However, anecdotal evidence can be produced at one time or another if it helps in giving some direction or link in the case which again has to be further investigated.

Is anecdotal evidence a scientific one?

Anecdotal evidence means that evidence that are taken from small reports, stories or hearsay. As evidence they may sound quite original and authenticate but cannot be taken as fully reliable either. The anecdotal evidence may be too small and cannot be taken as reliable as there may be the result of biased thinking.

All evidences are not scientific yet all scientific evidences are factual evidences. This means that scientific evidence is based upon laboratory tested conditions and has been given the authentication that they are based upon studied facts. These facts are not word of mouth or by way of experiences of a few people, but based upon the reliable environmental standards that such experiments have been conducted and also based upon empirical studies.

Anecdotal evidence on the other hand are rather ambiguous and are based upon some truths, but essentially having some kind of biasness of that few people who makes such statements. Hence, anecdotal evidences are not fully reliable as those of scientific ones and cannot be taken as a base for further development of a thesis or exploratory argument.

Again, anecdotal evidence need not necessarily be from a typical experience. In fact, it can be an outright lie to serve that very narrow minded purpose and with some added embellishment has been presented as a new revelation.

Commercializing on factual and non factual evidences

It has been generally seen that factual evidences have been contorted to give the impression that the evidence has actual been studied under tested conditions. This has been more in the area of medicine and drug manufacturing where the factual evidence as stated by some group might run quite contrary to the tested conditions elsewhere. There is marked difference in the ways the facts and non facts are said to be presented in the commercial market.

For instance, there is no evidence of a certain drug being effective in removing certain form of disease, but that its manufacturers are quick to point out in an almost scientific way that they have proof of it. In other words, the manufacturers are simply trying to present the argument as if a test has been conducted to prove that the product has all the qualities as revealed in the test.

This can be seen in the TV commercials or hoarding placed for public view in several places. Here, within a fraction of a minute or a whole minute or two the marketers are able to present a product as the right choice due to its being scientifically tested. The sudden appearance of a lady doctor with stethoscope and garb emphasizes that a knowledgeable expert has herself stated so. Naturally the public too thinks it as so and consumes the medication or facial or any other product for that matter thinking that they have got scientific evidence. These are nothing but anecdotal evidences and may be true but require more insight and proper research to bring to light whether the product has the stated quality or not.

Anecdotal evidences are therefore placed in such a manner that they sometimes beat out the real product backed by scientific evidences. This is where the consumers have to be wary enough.

More about Anecdotal evidence

In the previous post, i have talked about steroid side effects. In many arguments which people carry out, be it their work places, a place of purchasing items of daily uses or a visit to a health center, there is marked degree of hasty generalization. This generalization is made by word of mouth from one person to another as well as from one person’s experience with those of another. In such cases there is a marked degree of generalization made and this is done by interpreting all facts with some biasness. In fact, the anecdotal evidence itself has been laid down as facts that are reasonably comfortable to the people belonging to the group.

This again means that those who do not like it would walk away with their disapproval and may not add to the whole concept anything new nor the others would accept the same as evidence to the contrary. Therefore, the actual result of this piece of anecdotal evidence is that it has already got a high level of biasness and is beneficial for the people who argue for it.

Therefore, the modern way of presenting facts and figures through chemical and scientific method is more accurate than anecdotal evidence would suggest otherwise. This is more so with people who are desperate and would like to claim a benefit through anecdotal evidence.In the next post, I will talk about veracity.