WEAKEN

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• 1 Like

  acsimon Alum Member

  October 2017 1269 karma

  First, distinguish the material conditional "if...,then" from a straight causal statement. Sometimes "if..., then" statements express causal claims in English, but sometimes they don't (ex. "If I don't get above 170, then I'm not as good as JY at the LSAT"--not a causal claim). But the arrow --> usually is interpreted as a material conditional.

  Second, you seem to be really talking about causal claims. Take one: A causes B.

  This claim would be weakened if:

  (1) A occurred without B occurring (I thought it caused B?)

  (2) B occurs but A didn't (so something else causes?)

  (3) B occurs before A (so backward causation is possible?)

  (4) B and A occur at the same time (so, are they both caused by some third thing, C?)

  (5) The evidence for A causes B relies on a small number of observations, fudges data, etc. (so I should be skeptical of the data that is supposed to support the claim?)

  These are all the sorts of things which can go wrong with a causal claim. If you find an answer choice that does any one of these sorts of things with regard to a weaken question involving a causal statement, pick it!

  A.c.S
• hihihi9993 Member

  October 2017 347 karma

  @acsimon Thank you so much! This is so helpful!!!!
• hihihi9993 Member

  October 2017 347 karma

  Ah. the correlation and causation lessons.... I need to revisit them!