One word for an idea that is somewhat supportive of a hypothesis? [closed]

I am looking for a noun that is a weaker form of the word 'evidence'. For eg. 'Large fossilized eggs in Australia suggests that there were a few flying dinosaurs living here'. 'The Company's stock prices suggests that something is amiss'. What would be the appropriate noun that describes such a weak certainty?

Solution 1:

Indication — ODO

noun
a sign or piece of information that indicates something.

"The visit was an indication of the improvement in relations between the countries."

Solution 2:

Hint — M-W

noun a slight indication of the existence, approach, or nature of something
"They'll betray you at the first hint of trouble"

_{synonyms: clue, cue, indication, inkling, intimation, lead, suggestion}

Solution 3:

Suggestion

2. Something that implies or indicates a certain fact or situation

Implication

1. The conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated

Solution 4:

I consider the background of your question to be the following:

1. Let P be a proposition.
2. Let x be an observation.

Then if x confirms P, we call x evidence for P. What you're after is a word for x if it only supports P or is just weak evidence for P.

In that case, you can call x a positive instance or a confirmatory instance in support of P.

Positive adjective 1.1 Expressing or implying affirmation, agreement, or permission - ODO

Confirmatory adjective, from the verb confirm 1 Establish the truth or correctness of (something previously believed or suspected to be the case) - ODO

Instance noun 1 An example or single occurrence of something - ODO

Consider the Raven paradox, where each black raven constitutes a piece of evidence in support of the statement that all ravens are black, but each non-black non-raven (e.g. a white table) is also a piece of supportive evidence for the same statement. A yellow raven would disprove the statement.

Each black raven and each white table, then, can be called a positive or confirmatory instance in support of the statement that all ravens are black. Each such instance on its own is insufficient to establish the statement, hence the notion that they are weak pieces of evidence, as you require.