No, seriously, it's not the same thing at all

[omorka]

So just this week, I wrote on the whiteboard, in letters a foot tall,

CORRELATION
IS NOT
CAUSATION!

I am beginning to think, from the kinds of crappy medical reporting we've been getting lately, that journalism majors should be required to take two semesters of probability and statistics. This particular logical fallacy is just too rampant in the popular press. I'm even reading doctors who should know better committing it.

--

Another obit: RIP Washoe. I'm a wee bit concerned that no one mentions that the Kanzi study wouldn't have happened if Washoe hadn't signed first, but given Savage-Rumbaugh's own weird ideas about the common chimps and ASL, perhaps that's all for the best.

Comments

[lord-of-entropy.livejournal.com]

They're probably confused by the well-known high correlation between correlation and causation

[omorka.livejournal.com]

If causation, then correlation

BUT NOT

If correlation, then causation.


Which is a different logical fallacy for me to get mad at the press for. ;-)