Consilience

/kənˈsɪliəns/ noun

Definition

The idea that different fields of knowledge or evidence all point toward the same conclusion, even though they started from different places.

Etymology

From Latin consilire 'to jump together' (con- 'together' + salire 'to jump/leap'). Coined by William Whewell in 1840 to describe when independent evidence converges on truth.

Kelly Says

Consilience is why scientists trust evolution so much—fossils, genetics, geography, and biology all 'jump together' to the same answer, even though they're studied completely separately!

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