“Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc?” Non!, or, “Don’t Kill the Rooster!”

by David J. Engelsma For the benefit of most of the readers, the first part of my title is Latin, meaning, “After this, therefore, on account of this?” This is the question. I use the Latin, not to impress anyone, but because this is a saying that is so familiar in the Latin for the thought it expresses as virtually to demand this foreign language. The saying, or proverb, refers to a common, serious error in thinking. The error is to suppose that because one thing follows another thing...