Match each flawed argument (on the left) to the specific logical error regarding correlation and causation that it demonstrates (on the right).
- People who frequently visit the hospital are statistically more likely to have a severe illness. Therefore, going to the hospital causes people to become severely ill.The argument reverses the causal relationship, mistaking an effect for a cause.
- During the summer months, both the sale of sunglasses and the number of sunburns increase significantly. Therefore, buying sunglasses increases the risk of getting a sunburn.The argument fails to consider that both events might be caused by an independent third variable.
- Every time I wear my lucky blue shirt, our local sports team wins. My blue shirt is clearly the reason the team keeps winning.The argument assumes a causal relationship between two events that are merely coincidental.
- A survey shows that adults who drink green tea regularly have a lower incidence of heart disease. Thus, drinking green tea directly prevents heart disease.The argument concludes that one thing causes another merely because the two are statistically correlated.
Answer
Hospital visits reverse cause and effect; sunglasses and sunburns share a third variable (weather); the lucky shirt is a pure coincidence; and the green tea survey assumes causation from a general statistical correlation.
Each argument represents a distinct variation of the Correlation vs. Causation flaw. By isolating the specific relationship between the premises and the conclusion, we can correctly categorize the error as reverse causation, a third-variable issue, coincidence, or a generic leap from correlation to causation.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Correlation vs. Causation