In Defense of the Requirement of Total Evidence
Abstract
According to the Requirement of Total Evidence, when assessing the credibility of hypotheses, we should endeavor to take into account all of the relevant evidence at our disposal instead of just some proper part of that evidence. In “The Fine-Tuning Argument and the Requirement of Total Evidence,” Peter Fisher Epstein offers two alleged counterexamples to this requirement. I show that, on at least one very natural interpretation of the requirement, his alleged counterexamples are not genuine. I close by explaining why this conclusion is important.
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A careful analysis of TER reveals putative counterexamples to TER not to be genuine counterexamples.
“In my view, a careful analysis of TER reveals these not to be genuine counterexamples (Draper, 2020; Draper et al., 2007).”
From Is the fine-tuning evidence for a multiverse? (2024) · cites this paper as Draper, 2020
Cites
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Epstein, P. F. (2017) · Philosophy of Science · doi:10.1086/693465 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
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Goff, P. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198883760.002.0008
Goff, P. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198883760.003.0001
Goff, P. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198883760.003.0002
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Goff, P. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198883760.003.0006
Goff, P. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198883760.003.0007
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Why the ‘this universe’ objection confirms a multiverse
Ward, L. (2026) · Synthese · doi:10.1007/s11229-026-05769-6
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- Authors
- Draper, P.
- Corresponding author
- Draper, Paul
- ORCID
- Draper, Paul
- Venue
- Philosophy of Science
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2020-01
- Volume
- 87
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 179-190
- ISSN
- 0031-8248 (ISSN-L)
- 1539-767X
- OpenAlex
- W2971376782
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 3
- FWCI
- 4.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Philosophy of Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy, Science, and History
- Keywords
- fine-tuning argument, evidence evaluation, counterexample, cosmological argument
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