Question

This week we're exploring causation and correlation. Why is it a fallacy to confuse causation and correlation? Provide an example of a statement that confuses causation with correlation.

Answer 1

I am going to answer this question in three parts

1)Correlation is a statistical measure (expressed as a number) that describes the size and direction of a relationship between two or more variables. A correlation between variables, however, does not automatically mean that the change in one variable is the cause of the change in the values of the other variable.

Causation indicates that one event is the result of the occurrence of the other event; i.e. there is a causal relationship between the two events. This is also referred to as cause and effect.

2)In statistics, the phrase "correlation does not imply causation" refers to the inability to legitimately deduce a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables solely on the basis of an observed association or correlation between them.

3) Example, the number of drownings and sales of ice creams may be highly correlated but that doesnt imply one causes the other. Drownings and sales of ice cream are obviously higher in the summer months when the weather is good. Third variable aka good weather causes them.