This refers to the argument that it is the responsibility of people who make claims to prove its truth. In other words, the burden of proof to prove a claim lies entirely with the person who puts it forward in the first place. So, critics can simply dismiss any unsubstantiated claim without having to put in the effort required to disprove its supposed validity. It is named after the famous British writer and journalist Christopher Hitchens, who elaborated on the argument in God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything .
