Questionable cause
Encyclopedia
Fallacies of questionable cause, also known as causal fallacies, non causa pro causa ("non-cause for cause" in Latin
) or false cause, are informal fallacies
where a cause
is incorrectly identified. These include:
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
) or false cause, are informal fallacies
Fallacy
In logic and rhetoric, a fallacy is usually an incorrect argumentation in reasoning resulting in a misconception or presumption. By accident or design, fallacies may exploit emotional triggers in the listener or interlocutor , or take advantage of social relationships between people...
where a cause
Causality
Causality is the relationship between an event and a second event , where the second event is understood as a consequence of the first....
is incorrectly identified. These include:
- Correlation implies causationCorrelation does not imply causation"Correlation does not imply causation" is a phrase used in science and statistics to emphasize that correlation between two variables does not automatically imply that one causes the other "Correlation does not imply causation" (related to "ignoring a common cause" and questionable cause) is a...
(cum hoc, ergo propter hoc) - Fallacy of the single causeFallacy of the single causeThe fallacy of the single cause, also known as causal oversimplification, is a fallacy of questionable cause that occurs when it is assumed that there is a single, simple cause of an outcome when in reality it may have been caused by a number of only jointly sufficient causes.Often after a tragedy...
- Circular cause and consequence
- Spurious relationshipSpurious relationshipIn statistics, a spurious relationship is a mathematical relationship in which two events or variables have no direct causal connection, yet it may be wrongly inferred that they do, due to either coincidence or the presence of a certain third, unseen factor In statistics, a spurious relationship...
- Third-cause fallacyThird-cause fallacyThe third cause fallacy is a logical fallacy that asserts that X causes Y when, in reality, X and Y are both caused by Z. It is a variation on the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy and a member of the questionable cause group of fallacies....
- Post hoc ergo propter hocPost hoc ergo propter hocPost hoc ergo propter hoc, Latin for "after this, therefore because of this," is a logical fallacy that states, "Since that event followed this one, that event must have been caused by this one." It is often shortened to simply post hoc and is also sometimes referred to as false cause,...
- Regression fallacyRegression fallacyThe regression fallacy is an informal fallacy. It ascribes cause where none exists. The flaw is failing to account for natural fluctuations. It is frequently a special kind of the post hoc fallacy.-Explanation:...
- Texas sharpshooter fallacyTexas sharpshooter fallacyThe Texas sharpshooter fallacy is a logical fallacy in which pieces of information that have no relationship to one another are called out for their similarities, and that similarity is used for claiming the existence of a pattern. This fallacy is the philosophical/rhetorical application of the...
- Wrong directionWrong directionWrong direction is a logical fallacy of causation where cause and effect are reversed. The cause is said to be the effect and vice versa.For instance, the statement:In other cases it may simply be unclear which is the cause and which is the effect...
External links
- Non Causa Pro Causa in the Fallacy Files by Gary N. Curtis