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In epistemology (theory of knowledge), a self-evident proposition is a proposition that is known to be true by understanding its meaning without proof, and/or by ordinary
human reason Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, lang ...
. Some epistemologists deny that any proposition can be self-evident. For most others, one's belief that oneself is
conscious Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...
is offered as an example of self-evidence. However, one's belief that someone else is conscious is not epistemically self-evident. The following proposition is often said to be self-evident: "A finite whole is greater than, or equal to, any of its parts". A logical argument for a self-evident conclusion would demonstrate only an ignorance of the purpose of persuasively arguing for the conclusion based on one or more premises that differ from it (see ' and
begging the question In classical rhetoric and logic, begging the question or assuming the conclusion (Latin: ') is an informal fallacy that occurs when an argument's premises assume the truth of the conclusion, instead of supporting it. For example: * "Green is t ...
).


Analytic propositions

It is sometimes said that a self-evident proposition is one whose denial is self-contradictory. It is also sometimes said that an analytic proposition is one whose denial is self-contradictory. But the concepts mean different things, i.e., an analytic proposition is not always a self-evident proposition. (Consider for a counterargument the aforementioned statement "Whole is greater than its parts or equal to them.") But on the other hand, an analytical proposition as "All bachelors are not married." is not self-evident. Since it has nothing to do with its truth value. Provided that one understands and believes a self-evident proposition, self-evident propositions are not in need of proof. Likewise, that their denial is self-contradictory does not need to be proven. It is in this sense that the self-contradictions at work in self-evident and analytic propositions are different. Not all analytic propositions are self-evident, and it is sometimes claimed that not all self-evident propositions are analytic: e.g. my knowledge that I am conscious.


Other uses


Informal speech

In informal speech, ''self-evident'' often merely means ''obvious'', but the epistemological definition is stricter.


Moral propositions

Moral propositions may also be regarded as self-evident, although the is–ought problem described by David Hume considers that there is no coherent way to transition from a positive statement to a normative one. For example,
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
cited the following moral propositions as self-evident in the
Federalist No. 23 Federalist No. 23 is an essay by Alexander Hamilton, the twenty-third of ''The Federalist Papers''. It was first published by ''The New York Packet'' on December 18, 1787 under the pseudonym Publius, the name under which all ''The Federalist'' ...
: * ''The means ought to be proportioned to the end.'' * ''Every power ought to be commensurate with its object.'' * ''There ought to be no limitation of a power destined to effect a purpose which is itself incapable of limitation.'' A famous claim of the self-evidence of a moral truth is in the United States Declaration of Independence, which states, "We hold these Truths to be ''self-evident'', that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."; philosophically, these propositions' self-evidence is debatable.


Mathematics

In mathematics, self-evident means that it needs no proof because the proof is as easy as the statement. For example, any even number is divisible by 2. This statement is self-evident.


See also

*
Axiom An axiom, postulate, or assumption is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning 'that which is thought worthy or f ...
*
Contradiction In traditional logic, a contradiction occurs when a proposition conflicts either with itself or established fact. It is often used as a tool to detect disingenuous beliefs and bias. Illustrating a general tendency in applied logic, Aristotle's ...
* Foundationalism * Introspection * Law of identity * Primitive notion *
Self-reference Self-reference occurs in natural or formal languages when a sentence, idea or formula refers to itself. The reference may be expressed either directly—through some intermediate sentence or formula—or by means of some encoding. In philosop ...
* Self-refuting idea


Notes

{{Reflist Sources of knowledge Evidence A priori Fallacies Barriers to critical thinking de:Evidenz