Winning Discussions: post hoc, ergo propter hoc (Effective Pirating)

November 13, 2014 · by Andrew Reitemeyer · in Learning (tips&tricks)

Logical fallacies are techniques that people use to make an argument appear convincing even when it is wrong. Learning how to identify and refute logical fallacies is one of the best ways to win in a discussion. Catching an opponent committing a fallacy will force him to retract his error or he will appear foolish or manipulative to his audience. There is a dark side to this. Once you learn to identify logical fallacies you will also be able to use them. Do not deliberately use them against fellow Pirates; it is extreme bad manners and you will most probably be caught out.

The Logical Fallacy – post hoc, ergo propter hoc

This fallacy, often shortened to the post hoc fallacy, is also known as magical thinking and correlation does not imply causation. It is the claim that because one event occurred before another the first event must have caused the second. We seem to have an evolutionary bias towards this fallacy as the Scientific American points out. An early human, who learned to always associate sudden movement in foliage with an attack, is far more likely to survive to pass on her genes than one who pauses to logically consider whether it was caused by something harmless or dangerous.

It leads to superstition such as the athlete who always wears the same coloured underwear as when he won his first race. Also it is the basis for many conspiracy theories. We are all victims of our own magical thinking and this should be kept in mind when addressing this fallacy. Be wary of a claim that states because something happend before something else they are neccessarily connected; that a correlation may well exist but it has to be demonstrated.

Examples:

I was thinking about Suzie just before she rang me. It must be telepathy. (I do not remember the times I thought of her and she did not ring)

Malaria is caused by bad night air. (The mosquitoes that carry malaria tend to bite at night)

Playing video games leads to violence. (Research is mixed on this issue)

Global warming is caused by the lack of pirates (See featured image)

A scene from the movie The West Wing

………………………

You can read more about the ad hoc, ergo propter hoc logical fallacy in a wikipedia post and logical fallacies in general in this wikipedia article.
Remember that just because someone commits a logical fallacy it does not mean their argument is necessarily incorrect. If you have the time and resources then use the principles of scepticism to test their reasoning objectively.

This article is a part of a series called Effective Pirating:

Featured image: CC BY 2.0 John Lester

About Andrew Reitemeyer

I joined the Pirate Party of Lower Saxony in Germany in April 2012, once I found out that non citizens were welcome to join and become active members of the Party.
I joined the Pirate Times soon after it was started as a proof reader and am now an editor and author. Since then I have returned to my native New Zealand and joined the Pirate Party of New Zealand.
Politically I come from the libertarian left and have, up to now, not regarded any political party as having a solution for the democratic deficit that envelops the world. With the advent of the Pirate Party, which truly embraces grass roots democracy, I have found a political home. The Pirate Times is a way I can contribute to furthering the Pirate Movement around the world.
Skype: frithogar