Separate Earlier Events from Proven Causes - Practice 2

An event happening first is necessary for some causal explanations, but order alone is not enough.

All worksheets

5 questions0m 0s

Learn the skill

An event happening first is necessary for some causal explanations, but order alone is not enough. Look for a plausible mechanism, comparison evidence and alternatives. These fictional event pairs are deliberately insufficient to prove a cause.

Worked example

A bridge opens before trade rises. The dates alone do not show how much the bridge caused the rise; other changes may matter.

Schematic sequence, left to right: Earlier: Bridge opens; Later: Trade rises; Still needed: More evidence. Equal drawing gaps do not guarantee equal elapsed time.

Would you believe it?

Longitudes 179 degrees east and 179 degrees west are only two degrees apart across the longitude wrap, not 358 by the shorter angular route.

Question 1 Fictional timeline 6: road improves before travel increases. What do the dates alone establish? Every other factor stayed unchanged. The stated order of events. The first event was the only cause.

Question 2 Fictional timeline 7: newspaper begins before petition count rises. What do the dates alone establish? The stated order of events. The first event was the only cause. Every other factor stayed unchanged.

Question 3 Fictional timeline 8: canal opens before shipments rise. What do the dates alone establish? The first event was the only cause. Every other factor stayed unchanged. The stated order of events.

Question 4 Fictional timeline 9: clinic opens before illness reports fall. What do the dates alone establish? Every other factor stayed unchanged. The stated order of events. The first event was the only cause.

Question 5 Fictional timeline 10: library opens before book loans rise. What do the dates alone establish? The stated order of events. The first event was the only cause. Every other factor stayed unchanged.

Review your work

0correct

Complete the questions to review each answer.

View dashboard