Are logic and statistical analysis used to help distinguish between coincidence (chance), correlation (association), and causation?
Correlation and causation are commonly confused with each other. For example, people who exercise have a lower risk of heart attack is a statement of correlation, but exercise lowers the risk of heart attack is a statement of causation. It is very hard to prove causation (that A causes B). In order to do so, one needs to show that A must always be present for B to occur, and that B will always occur when A is present ( A is both necessary and sufficient cause of B ). An example of how this can be done in science is the use of Koch s postulates for determining whether a microorganism causes a particular disease: • The organism must be associated with every case of the disease • A pure culture of the organism must be able to be grown outside the body • When introduced into a healthy subject, the pure culture of the organism must cause the disease to occur. • The organism must be recovered from the subject and cultured again. Because of limits on time, funding, or because of ethical consi
