Hitchens's Razor
What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.
Christopher Hitchens's formulation of an old principle. The burden of proof rests on the claimant. If someone makes a claim without providing evidence, you don't owe them an effortful refutation; you can simply not accept the claim.
The razor is useful in conversations dominated by confident claims. Brandolini's Law (see [brandolinis-law]) says refuting bullshit costs more than producing it. Hitchens's Razor says you don't have to: the unsupported claim has no claim on your time.
For operators, the principle matters in meetings and consulting. Confident-sounding claims that aren't backed by evidence don't deserve detailed responses. "What's the evidence?" is often the right question, and absence of an answer is itself an answer.
Examples in the wild
Strategic claims in pitch decks deserve evidence demands. "We'll achieve 200% growth" without evidence can be dismissed; the burden is on the claimant.
Short-sellers' reports work because they shift burden of proof onto the company. The company then has to respond with evidence; refusing to respond is itself a signal.
Conspiracy theories thrive on shifting burden onto skeptics. Hitchens's Razor flips it back: the claimant proves the claim.
Hitchens's Razor is one of the mental models we apply through real cases inside the Pareto MBA — a part-time program for professionals who want to think clearly about business.