conclvis

Conclvis is a proposed theoretical construct in information theory, statistics, and computational argumentation that seeks to quantify how conclusively a conclusion is supported by evidence. The term is used to describe a score that combines the strength of evidence with the clarity and breadth of its support across multiple sources or arguments, producing a single metric of conclusiveness.

A conclvis score is typically represented on a 0 to 1 scale. It comprises two main components: evidential strength, which measures how strongly the data or arguments favor the conclusion, and visibility, which assesses how widely the evidence is distributed, how coherent it is across sources, and how well it covers relevant aspects. The interplay of these components aims to capture both the force of the data and the resonance of that data across a landscape of sources.

Calculation approaches vary. Some proposals combine Bayesian measures of evidence with normalization that accounts for source reliability and independence. Others apply information-theoretic criteria or aggregation rules drawn from argumentation theory. Despite methodological differences, the common aim is to provide a compact summary of overall conclusiveness rather than relying on isolated metrics such as p-values or simple counts of supporting sources.

Origins and usage of the concept appear in theoretical discussions at the intersection of scientific inference and automated reasoning. It is referenced in contexts such as evidence synthesis, meta-analysis, and critical thinking pedagogy as a way to compare competing hypotheses or to communicate the persuasive strength of conclusions.

Limitations include sensitivity to model assumptions, potential biases in source selection, and the risk of conflating correlation with conclusiveness. At present, conclvis remains an informal, debated notion rather than a standardized metric.