Could've Thought Otherwise

Philosophers' Imprint, 2020, 20(12): 1–24

Evidence is univocal, not equivocal. Its implications don’t depend on our beliefs or values, the evidence says what it says. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for rational disagreement between people with the same evidence. Evaluating evidence is a lot like polling an electorate: getting an accurate reading requires a bit of luck, and even the best pollsters are bound to get slightly different results. So even though evidence is univocal, rationality’s requirements are not “unique”. Understanding this resolves several puzzles to do with uniqueness and disagreement.