Cause and Effect Flashcards
A cause-and-effect relationship
one event causes another event to occur
When an author makes a cause-and-effect claim
she assumes that her cause-and-effect claim is actually correct; she assumes that there could not be an alternative explanation for the observed events
-> Assume that there is no other alternative explanation
Correct answer in cause and effect
highlights a piece of information that must be true in order for the logic of the argument to work
perceptions of patterns and relationships are not
always accurate: humans often make incorrect assumptions about cause-and-effect relationships
always accurate: humans often make incorrect assumptions about cause-and-effect relationships
So, we must be very careful any time we encounter a question dealing with cause and effect.
We’re apt to make an error in reasoning any time we notice that one event, X, occurs before another event,
Y, and, on this basis alone, we conclude that the first event, X, must have caused the second, Y.
The fact that some event X occurred before some event Y
does not necessarily indicate that event X caused event Y.
Cause and Effect Weaken the argument
When there is an alternative explanation
When the subject in the sentence is really broad and doesn’t give us the name of the subject we are looking at
We can’t really pick it because it’s not specific enough
Cause-and-Effect Reasoning Error Two: Co-Occurrence
two or more events occur simultaneously, and we conclude, on this basis alone, that they are causally linked.
Cause-and-Effect Reasoning Error Two # Fixing the error
1) There might be a third variable explaining this
2) The simultaneous occurrence of two events does not necessarily indicate that one causes the other.
Cause and Effect - Alternative Solution
any time we provide an alternative cause of the effect mentioned in a cause-and-effect argument, we are weakening that argument.
-> When you negate the argument and get a weakening argument then the sentence strengthens the argument
Correlated
change in one variable accompanies a change in the other.
Cause and Effect - Strengthen and argument
You can provide that there is no alternative explanation
If there was an alternative explanation then that would weaken the current statement
Weakening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by Reversing the Relationship
It is possible to weaken a cause-and-effect argument by showing that the cause-and-effect relation could be reversed. That is, if the argument assumes or concludes that that A caused B, showing that B may have caused A would successfully weaken the argument.
Weakening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by Finding an Alternative Cause For the Effect
One way to weaken the support for a cause-and-effect conclusion is to show that there is an alternative explanation for the observed effect.
-> You say that the cause here is different than what the author states
Large Number
not a definte number, so you can’t make assumption based on this number
Weakening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by Finding a Third Variable That Causes Both of the Observed Events
there is a common cause for the two variables in question, rather than a direct cause-and-effect link between the two variables in question.
i.e: On an average, children with larger shoe sizes tend to have better handwriting. Can we conclude that bigger feet cause better writing? Or can we conclude that better writing somehow causes feet to grow? Of course not. Rather, both variables are likely to be the effect of aging upon children. That is, at least up to a point, the older a child gets, the larger her feet grow and the better her handwriting becomes. In other words, we can identify growth as the common cause of both variables, but there’s certainly no cause-and-effect connection between foot size and handwriting neatness.
Weakening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by Showing That the Effect Does Not Occur When the Supposed Cause Occurs
supposed cause occurs without the effect occurring will weaken the argument. After all, if there is a cause-and-effect relationship at play, when we see the cause, we should also see the effect.
Weakening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by Showing That the Effect Occurs Even When the Supposed Cause Does Not Occur
effect happens even when the supposed cause does not.
Is having a better plan a way to weaken the argument
No becasuse there you statement is till valid/can exist
Strengthening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by: #1: Ruling Out Alternative Causes
- > rule out alternative causes
- > we can strengthen the case for author’s assumption that there could not be an alternative explanation by ruling out even one credible alternative explanation.
Scientifically Designed Experiments
- > The major goal of an experiment is to isolate a single variable and measure its effect on another variable.
- > have a control group alongside the true test group, which is also referred to as the experimental group.
Strengthening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by Showing That, When the Cause is Not Present, the Effect Does Not Occur
An argument with a cause-and-effect conclusion can be strengthened by an answer choice that shows that, when the cause is not present, the effect does not occur.
Strengthening a Cause-and-Effect Argument by Showing That the Relationship Cannot Be Reversed
show that the relationship between the cause and the effect cannot be reversed.
Cause-and-Effect Reasoning in Resolve the Paradox Questions
we will have to find an answer that explains an effect mentioned in the passage.