Difference between revisions of "Correlation is not causation"
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The difference between science and superstition lies in the ways an idea is tested. Scientists test a theory by drawing conclusions from it, hypotheses which can be confirmed or contradicted by observation. | The difference between science and superstition lies in the ways an idea is tested. Scientists test a theory by drawing conclusions from it, hypotheses which can be confirmed or contradicted by observation. | ||
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Revision as of 03:43, April 15, 2008
"Correlation is not causation" is the unofficial motto of modern science. When we observe that two things generally or always happen together, it is natural to wonder whether one may be causing the other. However, it is also possible that both are caused by a third thing. It's even possible that we haven't observed enough cases, and the whole thing is a coincidence.
The difference between science and superstition lies in the ways an idea is tested. Scientists test a theory by drawing conclusions from it, hypotheses which can be confirmed or contradicted by observation.