Measured Witness
A measured witness separates what was observed from what remains uncertain.
Where This Came From
I have not yet added the experience that led to this idea.
What I Noticed
What I could observe depended on where I was and what information was available. An account needs that context.
The Question
What did I observe? When? From where? What information was available? What was unavailable? What changed later? What remains uncertain?
What I Call It
I call this approach Measured Witness.
Working Definition
I record what I observed, the position from which I observed it, and the limits of that account. I keep observation, memory, documentation, and interpretation distinct.
Example
A note can say what was witnessed and when it was written. It can also say which details were remembered later. Those are different parts of the record.
What This Does Not Claim
Measured Witness does not claim that observation becomes objective merely because it is documented.
Limitations
A document can contain a mistake. A witness can miss something. Keeping a record does not remove either possibility.
What I Still Do Not Know
An account may change when another record or another perspective becomes available.
Keeping an account
A record may separate these parts:
- Observed: what I witnessed.
- Remembered: what I recall.
- Documented: what a record contains.
- Interpreted: what I think it means.
- Uncertain: what I cannot settle.
These labels describe the account. They do not establish legal evidentiary status.