Description

Testimony is an act of communication, an exchange of information between a hearer and speaker. The field of testimony has largely focused on singular interactions, between a single hearer and single speaker in face-to-face situations. According to the traditional philosophical view, the act of testimony is defined as "An act where] a truth-bearer or speaker, S, openly declares or acknowledges what they know to be true... The way in which we receive testimony is variable depending on the content of the knowledge S imparts".2 This definition draws attention to the individual roles of the hearer, one who receives testimony, and the speaker, one who gives testimony.