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Correlation Does Not Imply Causation

It's all there in the title. But since your average Daily Mail reader probably won't know what correlation and causation are I'll lay it out in more detail. Person A plays violent videogames. Person A kills Person B. That's correlation. Both things happened. It would be causation if the videogames caused the murder. Correlation (both happened) does not imply causation (one caused the other).

This concluded today's lesson in common sense.

Comments:
Mon, 02nd Aug 2004 (18:47)

The funny thing is, come October the shops that halted the selling of the game Manhunt, will be stocked full with copies of the next GTA game. Which will make them look very silly indeed.

by Stephen Bourke
Thu, 05th Aug 2004 (20:04)

And according to this, Person B played the video game, not Person A. Still, the Mail shifted a few copies, eh?

by James
Thu, 05th Aug 2004 (20:06)

And by "this", I of course mean this:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/04/manhunt_murder_claim/

by James
Thu, 05th Aug 2004 (21:54)

And from the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/3538066.stm

I say we all go out and buy it as a way to show the Mail where to shove it. Of course I don't have the financial power to go up against a major publisher so you guys'll have to buy my copy.

by Rory
Sat, 07th Aug 2004 (00:59)

Good idea. Although i dont think Rockstar need the money. They are probably loaded at this stage.

by Stephen Bourke

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This piece was posted on Fri, 30th Jul 2004 at 17:55.

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