Prima Facie
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
Latin for "at first sight". It refers to evidence that, before being rebutted, is sufficient to establish a fact or a presumption. If the other party does not provide counter-evidence, the fact stands.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Quickly establish a baseline. In debate or decision-making, Prima Facie helps us allocate the burden of proof: if the situation appears on the surface to be A, then the party claiming it is B has the responsibility to provide additional evidence.
Anchor fast decisions
Latin for "at first sight". Evidence is sufficient to establish a factual presumption before being rebutted, with the burden of proof falling on the rebutting party. The mechanism is "presumption and allocation of burden of proof"—what appears to hold on the surface is temporarily taken as the baseline, unless the other party provides counter-evidence.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/4Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_facieverified
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