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Post Hoc Fallacy

Post Hoc Fallacy. (Faulty Casualty/Non-Sequitur) Evan Payne. Definition. Simply where one past event is used to explain a current one, though they may be completely unrelated Ex. I crashed my car into a tree. The tree was a cedar. So cedar trees must cause car crashes.

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Post Hoc Fallacy

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  1. Post Hoc Fallacy (Faulty Casualty/Non-Sequitur) Evan Payne

  2. Definition • Simply where one past event is used to explain a current one, though they may be completely unrelated • Ex. I crashed my car into a tree. The tree was a cedar. So cedar trees must cause car crashes.

  3. “Post hoc, ergo propter hoc,” meaning “After this, therefore because of this.” • Used to explain an event by saying a previous event caused it

  4. This graph shows the apparent correlation between the number of Firefox downloads and new WICCA members. WICCA is a modern cult/religion of witchcraft. The creators of this ad (as it is an ad, since its promoting Internet Explorer seen in the left) are trying to show that Firefox leads to following WICCA. The “Keep the Faith” is an appeal to Christians, designated by a cross.

  5. The Crucible • Type: Post Hoc • Character: Giles Corey • Quote: “Last night—mark this—I tried and tried and could not say my prayers. And then she close her book and walks out of the house, and suddenly—mark this—I could pray again!” –Act 1, pg. 186

  6. The Crucible • Explanation: In the frenzy of witchcraft accusations, Giles Corey states that he believes his wife is guilty, saying that he couldn’t pray when she had her books out. Just because A happened (she read her books) doesn’t mean that it caused B (Giles couldn’t pray). Could also be seen as since she stopped reading, he could pray.

  7. The Crucible • Type: Post Hoc • Character: Mrs. Putnam • Quote: “I knew it! Goody Osburn were mid-wife to me three times. I begged you Thomas, did I not? I begged him not to call Osburn because I feared her. My babies always shriveled in her hands!” –Act 1, pg. 189

  8. The Crucible • Explanation: Mrs. Putnam is backing Tituba’s accusation of Goody Osburn, claiming that she was responsible for the death of her babies. Even though she was her mid-wife three times, that doesn’t mean it caused the deaths of the babies.

  9. The Crucible • Type: Post Hoc • Character: Danforth • Quote: [Hale speaking] “There is a prodigious fear of this court in the country—” [Danforth] “Then there is a prodigious guilt in the country.” -Act 3, pg. 214

  10. The Crucible • Explanation: Danforth believes that the fear of the court comes from guilt. However, the fear is caused by the court’s actions, not personal guilt. So fear does not mean a presence of guilt, with guilt also meaning witchcraft. So fear of the court does not necessarily come from guilt of witchcraft.

  11. Modern Society • Type: Post Hoc • Speaker: Al Gore • Quote: “During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the internet.” Bluedorn, Hans. “Post Hoc Al-Gore Propter Hoc.” fallacydetective. Fallacydetective. 20 Apr. 1999. Web. 15 Feb. 2012

  12. Modern Society • Explanation: Al Gore was attempting to explain how he was different that his opponent in this quote. However, he claims that during his time in Congress, he decided to make the internet. This implies that the idea and inspiration for making the internet was result of being in Congress, which are not necessarily related.

  13. Modern Society • Many modern superstitions were born of and based around a post hoc fallacy. Many of the “bad luck” superstitions are sustained because when people do these unlucky actions, they blame any resulting unfortunate event on the unlucky act. Thus, the current action is not really a result of a previous event.

  14. Works Cited • “Logical Fallacies.” Niyamaklogic. Niyamaklogic. May 2009. Web. 14 Feb. 2012 • “Keep the Faith.” Jazzroc. Jazzroc. Nov. 2008. Web. 14 Feb. 2012 • “Post Hoc Examples.” Hub Image. Hub Image. n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2012

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