4 Possible Explanations for Causation

greybrownblue

Hi everyone,

I am stumbling upon this concept on this lesson https://7sage.com/lesson/4-possible-explanations/

Correlation implies causation but, according to logic and lawgic, causation DOES NOT imply correlation. To my understanding, this lesson is telling me a completely different story and I cannot see the nuance. How is it possible that if A causes B, B can cause A???

Thanks very much!

BinghamtonDave

Knowing causation implies implicitly that there is correlation. Knowing for instance that dust from an attic caused me to sneeze implies that the dust from the attic and the sneeze are correlated.

Now, simply knowing correlation does not imply causation. Because, in the lesson you point out, knowing two things are correlated gives rise to several possibilities that explain that correlation. Me sneezing might also be correlated with various small earthquakes throughout the world. That does not mean that the earthquakes have caused me to sneeze. Many things in our world are spuriously correlated, meaning they occur together but have zero causal relationship.

I hope this helps
David

greybrownblue

It does. Thank you Dave!