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Correlation Is Not Causation. How Often?
- andrewprock 8y agoPretty much all the time. The chair I'm sitting in wasn't caused be me, and vice versa.
- BoiledCabbage 8y agoNo, but there is a correlation between the chairs position, and your position while sitting in that chair. And arguably it is partially causative. The reason you are sitting there is because the chair is there. If the chair were 2 ft to the left, you'd be sitting there instead.
- saghm 8y agoChairs can be moved though; sometimes I'm sitting there because that's where the chair is, but sometimes (like in my apartment) the chair is where it is because I put it there because I like to sit sometimes and that's a good spot
- andrewprock 8y agoAnd yet, I didn't cause the chair, and the chair didn't cause me.
- BoiledCabbage 8y agoThere is more to causation than 'creating into existence'.
- andrewprock 8y agoQuite. This is just one of the many examples of "correlation is not causation".
- drallison 8y agoReading Judea Pearl is recommended. You might begin with The Book of Why and then do a deep dive. Michael Neilson has a good blog post on the issue: http://www.michaelnielsen.org/ddi/if-correlation-doesnt-imply-causation-then-what-does/ http://www.michaelnielsen.org/ddi/if-correlation-doesnt-impl... with interesting comments by Judea Pearl at http://www.michaelnielsen.org/ddi/guest-post-judea-pearl-on-correlation-causation-and-the-psychology-of-simpsons-paradox/ http://www.michaelnielsen.org/ddi/guest-post-judea-pearl-on-.... at
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]