What fallacy occurs when someone assumes their opinion is validated by the absence of contrary evidence?

The fallacy that occurs when someone assumes their opinion is validated by the absence of contrary evidence is known as the Appeal to Ignorance. This fallacy hinges on the flawed reasoning that if there is no evidence disproving a claim, then that claim must be true. It is a misunderstanding of the burden of proof, which actually asserts that it is the responsibility of the person making a claim to provide evidence for it, rather than expecting others to disprove it.

In scenarios where this fallacy is invoked, one might hear arguments that suggest since no one has proven something to be false, it must therefore be true. This line of thinking is problematic because it overlooks the possibility of other explanations or the existence of evidence that simply hasn't been discovered yet or is unrecognized. Understanding this fallacy is crucial to evaluate arguments critically and to avoid being swayed by assumptions that lack proper justification.