LSAT Practice Test

What is a common causal flaw that is depicted by the statement "A and B tend to occur together, so A must cause B"?

1. Provide an alternate cause

2. Show there is no causal relationship (merely a coincidence)

3. A violation of a law, command, or duty

4. A violation of a law, command, or duty

The correct answer is: A violation of a law, command, or duty

The common causal flaw depicted by the statement "A and B tend to occur together, so A must cause B" is known as committing a correlation-causation fallacy. This fallacy assumes that just because two events or variables are correlated or tend to occur together, one must cause the other. In reality, correlation does not necessarily imply causation. This type of faulty reasoning overlooks other possible explanations or factors that could be influencing the relationship between A and B. It is important to consider alternative causes and thoroughly investigate the situation rather than jumping to conclusions based on observed correlations.