Affirmation

An affirmation (from Latin affirmare, to assert) is the declaration that something is true.

In logic, an affirmation is a positive judgment, the union of the subject and predicate of a proposition.

In law, an affirmation is a solemn declaration allowed to those who conscientiously object to taking an oath. An affirmation has exactly the same legal effect as an oath, but is usually taken to avoid the religious implications of an oath. The Constitution of the United States twice refers to an "oath or affirmation": once when saying that search warrants must be supported by such evidence, and once when saying that before entering office, the president must take a certain oath or affirmation (see oath of office).

In spirituality and personal development, an affirmation is a form of autosuggestion in which a statement of a desirable intention or condition of the world or the mind is deliberately meditated on or repeated in order to implant it in the mind. It could be viewed as a kind of self-induced brainwashing and is similar to the way a mantra works in forms of meditation called . Affirmations can be a very powerful means of reprogramming the unconscious mind.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.