False Cause: Don't Blame the Potion!

Bruno's got a big soccer game coming up. He's nervous, so Gizmo gives him a magic potion. "Drink this," Gizmo says, "and you'll be faster than a cheetah!"

Bruno drinks the potion and his team wins the game! Wow, that potion is powerful, right?

Well, not so fast. Just because Bruno drank the potion before his team won doesn't mean the potion caused the win. Maybe the team practiced really hard, or maybe the other team just had a bad day.

This is a common mistake called the false cause fallacy. It's like blaming a broken TV on a cat walking by. Sure, the cat was there, but it probably didn't break the TV.

So, the next time you see two things happen together, don't assume one caused the other. Look for real evidence and avoid jumping to conclusions.

Want to learn more about the False Cause fallacy? Check out our activity pack for fun activities that help you spot this common logical fallacy.