As we explore the concepts of correlation and causation this week, we’re aiming to understand how these terms, while often used interchangeably in everyday conversation, hold distinct meanings in critical reasoning.

For your initial post, select a scenario from recent news, pop culture, medicine/health care, science, or personal observations where correlation and causation might be conflated (or might not be – maybe there really is a causal relationship!). Describe the situation and explain why the factors involved might be correlated but not necessarily causative. Make sure to detail your reasoning and explain why it’s a fallacy to confuse causation and correlation.