Final answer:
The belief that drinking beer causes lower GPA is a logical fallacy as it assumes causation based on correlation. In reality, many factors contribute to academic success or lack thereof, as seen in studies showing that athletes often have higher academic performance than their non-athlete peers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "all college students who drink beer make less than a 4.0 GPA. It is obvious then that drinking beer lowers a student's grades." assumes a causation based on correlation without necessarily taking into account other factors or variables. This belief is an example of a logical fallacy, specifically a post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, where it is assumed that if one event follows another, the first must be the cause of the second. This kind of reasoning overlooks the possibility of other explanations, such as time management, personal motivation, or external stressors affecting a student's academic performance.
In contrast, research on athletes' academic performance challenges stereotypes by showing that athletes may actually outperform their non-athlete peers in academics, suggesting that they possess skills or habits that contribute to academic success, such as discipline or effective time management. This indicates that there is not a simple, direct relationship between involvement in certain activities and academic performance. Instead, other factors like individual student characteristics could play a more significant role.