SOURCE: Wilson, Robert Dick. “The Argument from Silence” and “Was Daniel an Historical Character?” In Studies in the Book of Daniel: A Study of the Historical Questions, pp. 1-23, 24-42. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1917.

In the following essays, Wilson considers the historicity of the events described in Daniel as well as the factual basis for identifying Daniel himself.

I shall begin the consideration of the historicity of Daniel and of the Book of Daniel with a discussion of the argument from silence, not merely because of its intrinsic importance, but because of its bearing upon many of the objections made against the existence of Daniel himself and against the authenticity and genuineness of the book which bears his name. Before considering these objections, it may be well to state explicitly what is meant in this connection by an argument from silence. When the argument from silence...