The dilemma that all evidence is interpreted through pre-existing frameworks (theories, biases, cultural narratives). There is no such thing as a "brute fact." A piece of data only becomes evidence for or against something within a specific story about how the world works. Changing someone's mind therefore requires not just new facts, but a change in their entire interpretive framework—a much harder task.
Example: Presenting vaccine efficacy data to an anti-vaxxer. The numbers are dismissed as fabricated by Big Pharma. The Hard Problem of Evidence is that the evidence is not seen as neutral. It is processed through a framework where institutional authority is inherently distrusted. New evidence strengthens the framework ("See, they're pushing harder!"), rather than challenging it. The battle is over frameworks, not facts.
by Dumuabzu February 8, 2026
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