[Elsie]

Therefore though Mary was in one sense of the word, "legally" married to Joseph, we can safely presuppose that both Mary and Joseph knew she was not married married to him "understood in the normal sense" ---

BINGO!

There is the problem right there!

ASSUMING things NOT in evidence!!!

[Mrs. Don-o]

I’m allowed to assume, I assume, if I say I’m assuming!

Related terms, but not identical:

Metaphysical truth

Apodictic truth

Logical proof from direct evidence

Reasonable assumption from direct evidence

Reasonable inference from converging lines of direct and circumstantial evidence

Conjecture from circumstantial evidence

Estimation, educated guess, hunch

In descending order of reliability.

Any of these can be valuable, as long as you gave a pretty good account of where they are on the scale.

For instance: I have a hunch that you are probably a person, but you COULD be a Robo-Freep!

AY, AY, A.I.!