3.7k views
14 votes
Identify the kind of logical fallacy found in the following sentence:

Birth rates have dropped in all developed countries because people are getting married later in life.
correlation proves causation
post hoc / false cause
cherry picking
o single cause

User Bryanph
by
5.6k points

2 Answers

14 votes

Final answer:

The logical fallacy present in the statement is the correlation-causation fallacy, where a relationship between two variables is mistaken for a causal relationship, ignoring other potential factors that may influence both variables.

Step-by-step explanation:

The logical fallacy in the statement "Birth rates have dropped in all developed countries because people are getting married later in life" is the correlation-causation fallacy. This fallacy involves mistaking a correlation or relationship between two variables as indicating that one variable causes the other. Just because two events or phenomena occur together does not mean that one causes the other; there may be other factors involved that explain both occurrences.

For example, regarding the statement about birth rates, it's possible that both the trend of getting married later and the dropping birth rates are effects of a range of other variables, such as economic factors, cultural shifts, or advances in education and contraception. Therefore, asserting that late marriages alone cause the drop in birth rates oversimplifies a complex issue and ignores potential contributing factors.

User Iulian Popescu
by
5.3k points
0 votes

Answer:

I believe the answer is post hoc / false cause

Step-by-step explanation: