On the recordAugust 21, 1858
A man cannot prove a negative, but he has a right to claim that when a man makes an affirmative charge, he must offer some proof to show the truth of what he says.
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gutenberg.orgAbraham Lincoln: “A man cannot prove a negative, but he has a right to claim that when a man makes an affirmative charge, he must offer…”
Editor's note · Context
In a debate, Lincoln asserts a fundamental principle of logic regarding the burden of proof for affirmative claims.
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