Question 1

The rule of thumb for distinguishing coincidence from cause and effect is…

Accepted Answer

A)  Don't assume that a causal connection exists unless you have good reason for doing so 
B)  Don't assume that a causal connection exists unless your assumption is beyond doubt 
C)  There is no such thing as coincidence 
D)  Don't ever assume that a causal connection exists 
A)  Don't assume that a causal connection exists unless you have good reason for doing so 
B)  Don't assume that a causal connection exists unless your assumption is beyond doubt 
C)  There is no such thing as coincidence 
D)  Don't ever assume that a causal connection exists A

Question 2

Causal arguments are a kind of…

Accepted Answer

A)  Deductive argument 
B)  Valid inference 
C)  Inductive argument 
D)  Argument by analogy 
A)  Deductive argument 
B)  Valid inference 
C)  Inductive argument 
D)  Argument by analogy C

Question 3

Scientists usually assume that a correlation between two events means that…

Accepted Answer

A)  The correlation is meaningless 
B)  No cause is present 
C)  One event causes the other 
D)  The connection may or may not be causal 
A)  The correlation is meaningless 
B)  No cause is present 
C)  One event causes the other 
D)  The connection may or may not be causal D

Question 4

What are necessary and sufficient conditions? Are there necessary and sufficient conditions for combustion? Explain.

Accepted Answer

Necessary and sufficient conditions are

Question 5

Your ability to identify relevant factors in causal connections depends mostly on…

Accepted Answer

A)  Acausal factors 
B)  Expert opinion 
C)  Your background knowledge 
D)  Your knowledge of physics 
A)  Acausal factors 
B)  Expert opinion 
C)  Your background knowledge 
D)  Your knowledge of physics

Question 6

A sufficient condition for the occurrence of an event is one that…

Accepted Answer

A)  Ensures that the event cannot occur 
B)  Guarantees that the event occurs 
C)  Is negligible 
D)  Might or might not precipitate the event 
A)  Ensures that the event cannot occur 
B)  Guarantees that the event occurs 
C)  Is negligible 
D)  Might or might not precipitate the event

Question 7

A necessary condition for the occurrence of an event is one without which the event…

Accepted Answer

A)  Is guaranteed to occur 
B)  Would be delayed 
C)  Cannot occur 
D)  Would be unknown 
A)  Is guaranteed to occur 
B)  Would be delayed 
C)  Cannot occur 
D)  Would be unknown

Question 8

How can the post hoc fallacy lead someone to serious harm?

Accepted Answer

The post hoc fallacy, also known as post

Question 9

Confusing cause and effect…

Accepted Answer

A)  Is an easy mistake to make in everyday life as well as in science 
B)  Almost never happens in everyday life 
C)  Is not a problem in science 
D)  Never has any dire consequences in the real world 
A)  Is an easy mistake to make in everyday life as well as in science 
B)  Almost never happens in everyday life 
C)  Is not a problem in science 
D)  Never has any dire consequences in the real world

Question 10

When we answer a question about what causes what, we make a. . .

Accepted Answer

A)  Representative statement 
B)  Sampling assertion 
C)  Necessary condition claim 
D)  Causal claim 
A)  Representative statement 
B)  Sampling assertion 
C)  Necessary condition claim 
D)  Causal claim

Question 11

What is an example of confusing cause and effect in everyday situations?

Accepted Answer

An example of confusing cause and effect

Question 12

A necessary condition for the occurrence of an event is…

Accepted Answer

A)  One that guarantees that the event occurs 
B)  One without which the event cannot occur 
C)  One that cannot guarantee that the event occurs 
D)  Unlikely 
A)  One that guarantees that the event occurs 
B)  One without which the event cannot occur 
C)  One that cannot guarantee that the event occurs 
D)  Unlikely

Question 13

People are especially prone to "it can't be just coincidence" thinking because …

Accepted Answer

A)  They are too good at judging probabilities 
B)  They misjudge the probabilities involved 
C)  They know that every event has a cause 
D)  Every event is unlikely 
A)  They are too good at judging probabilities 
B)  They misjudge the probabilities involved 
C)  They know that every event has a cause 
D)  Every event is unlikely

Question 14

If the premises of a strong causal argument are true, then the conclusion is…

Accepted Answer

A)  Necessarily true 
B)  Probably true 
C)  Certainly true 
D)  Logically guaranteed 
A)  Necessarily true 
B)  Probably true 
C)  Certainly true 
D)  Logically guaranteed

Question 15

A sufficient condition for the occurrence of an event is…

Accepted Answer

A)  One that guarantees that the event occurs 
B)  One without which the event cannot occur 
C)  One that is improbable 
D)  One that cannot guarantee that the event occurs 
A)  One that guarantees that the event occurs 
B)  One without which the event cannot occur 
C)  One that is improbable 
D)  One that cannot guarantee that the event occurs

Question 16

This argument-"John's headache went away after he drank a cup of coffee. The coffee cured his headache."-illustrates…

Accepted Answer

A)  The post hoc, ergo propter hoc fallacy 
B)  The scientific method 
C)  Deductive reasoning 
D)  The tu quoque fallacy 
A)  The post hoc, ergo propter hoc fallacy 
B)  The scientific method 
C)  Deductive reasoning 
D)  The tu quoque fallacy

Question 17

What is a causal argument and what are Mill's criteria for judging its strength?

Accepted Answer

A causal argument is a type of argument

Question 18

The many correlations between the lives of JFK and Abraham Lincoln show that…

Accepted Answer

A)  The correlations are actually causal connections 
B)  Finding such correlations is extremely difficult 
C)  The two presidents were somehow psychically linked 
D)  Such correlations are extremely easy to find. 
A)  The correlations are actually causal connections 
B)  Finding such correlations is extremely difficult 
C)  The two presidents were somehow psychically linked 
D)  Such correlations are extremely easy to find.

Question 19

When we confuse cause with temporal order, we are guilty of the fallacy called…

Accepted Answer

A)  Causal miscalculation 
B)  Hasty generalization 
C)  Post hoc, ergo propter hoc 
D)  Gambler's fallacy 
A)  Causal miscalculation 
B)  Hasty generalization 
C)  Post hoc, ergo propter hoc 
D)  Gambler's fallacy

Question 20

The most common kind of argument used to reason to a causal conclusion is…

Accepted Answer

A)  Inference to the best explanation 
B)  Enumerative induction 
C)  Argument by analogy 
D)  Hypothetical syllogism 
A)  Inference to the best explanation 
B)  Enumerative induction 
C)  Argument by analogy 
D)  Hypothetical syllogism

The rule of thumb for distinguishing coincidence from cause and effect is…

Causal arguments are a kind of…

Scientists usually assume that a correlation between two events means that…

What are necessary and sufficient conditions? Are there necessary and sufficient conditions for combustion? Explain.

Your ability to identify relevant factors in causal connections depends mostly on…

A sufficient condition for the occurrence of an event is one that…

A necessary condition for the occurrence of an event is one without which the event…

How can the post hoc fallacy lead someone to serious harm?

Confusing cause and effect…

When we answer a question about what causes what, we make a. . .

What is an example of confusing cause and effect in everyday situations?

A necessary condition for the occurrence of an event is…

People are especially prone to "it can't be just coincidence" thinking because …

If the premises of a strong causal argument are true, then the conclusion is…

A sufficient condition for the occurrence of an event is…

This argument-"John's headache went away after he drank a cup of coffee. The coffee cured his headache."-illustrates…

What is a causal argument and what are Mill's criteria for judging its strength?

The many correlations between the lives of JFK and Abraham Lincoln show that…

When we confuse cause with temporal order, we are guilty of the fallacy called…

The most common kind of argument used to reason to a causal conclusion is…

Critical Thinking, Facts, and Feelings

Obstacles to Critical Thinking

Identifying and Evaluating Arguments

Deductive Argument Patterns

Inductive Arguments and Statistics

Evidence and Experts

Fake News

Advertising: Commercial and Political

Inference to the Best Explanation

Judging Scientific Theories

Fallacies and Persuaders

Critical Thinking in Morality

Filters

Exam 9: Causal Arguments

The rule of thumb for distinguishing coincidence from cause and effect is…

Causal arguments are a kind of…

Scientists usually assume that a correlation between two events means that…

What are necessary and sufficient conditions? Are there necessary and sufficient conditions for combustion? Explain.

Your ability to identify relevant factors in causal connections depends mostly on…

A sufficient condition for the occurrence of an event is one that…

A necessary condition for the occurrence of an event is one without which the event…

How can the post hoc fallacy lead someone to serious harm?

Confusing cause and effect…

When we answer a question about what causes what, we make a. . .

What is an example of confusing cause and effect in everyday situations?

A necessary condition for the occurrence of an event is…

People are especially prone to "it can't be just coincidence" thinking because …

If the premises of a strong causal argument are true, then the conclusion is…

A sufficient condition for the occurrence of an event is…

This argument-"John's headache went away after he drank a cup of coffee. The coffee cured his headache."-illustrates…

What is a causal argument and what are Mill's criteria for judging its strength?

The many correlations between the lives of JFK and Abraham Lincoln show that…

When we confuse cause with temporal order, we are guilty of the fallacy called…

The most common kind of argument used to reason to a causal conclusion is…

Critical Thinking, Facts, and Feelings

Obstacles to Critical Thinking

Identifying and Evaluating Arguments

Deductive Argument Patterns

Inductive Arguments and Statistics

Evidence and Experts

Fake News

Advertising: Commercial and Political

Inference to the Best Explanation

Judging Scientific Theories

Fallacies and Persuaders

Critical Thinking in Morality

Filters