Okay, I get the legal definition and have no quarrel with it. But that's not really the tone here. What's being implied is that unless you do or experience something yourself, any information one passes along is automatically suspect and should not be believed. In other words, never believe anyone about anything unless you see it yourself. If it's a sunny day and someone tells you the sky is blue look up because if you simply take their word for it, who knows what bias they might have for or against blue sky?
I can understand this positon when it comes to the judicial system. But when a guy says my engine broke in this manner and we've been trying to find the part for three months and the manufacturer is of no help whatsoever and the part so far has been unobtainable at any price and anyone who buys a boat with a Volvo engine is a dufuss because this is what they'll be dealing with, I'm not going to automaticallyi assume he's making it all up. Personally, I would rather learn from this guy's (and others') bad experience with Volvo engines and not repeat what they went through just because I had to find out for myself if they were right.
It's a judgement call. Some people's advice I woudn't act on if they paid me. But most people I've dealt with--- like the guy with the broken Volvo and my commercial fishing friend in Hawaii who's related his issues with the Volvos in his longline boats---- are providing first hand information that I believe is worth heeding.
I can understand this positon when it comes to the judicial system. But when a guy says my engine broke in this manner and we've been trying to find the part for three months and the manufacturer is of no help whatsoever and the part so far has been unobtainable at any price and anyone who buys a boat with a Volvo engine is a dufuss because this is what they'll be dealing with, I'm not going to automaticallyi assume he's making it all up. Personally, I would rather learn from this guy's (and others') bad experience with Volvo engines and not repeat what they went through just because I had to find out for myself if they were right.
It's a judgement call. Some people's advice I woudn't act on if they paid me. But most people I've dealt with--- like the guy with the broken Volvo and my commercial fishing friend in Hawaii who's related his issues with the Volvos in his longline boats---- are providing first hand information that I believe is worth heeding.