Comparison guide
False Cause vs. Slippery Slope
False cause wrongly explains an observed relationship; slippery slope predicts an unsupported chain of future consequences.
Side by side
| Question | False Cause | Slippery Slope |
|---|---|---|
| Time focus | Often explains what already happened | Often predicts what will happen next |
| Structure | A caused B without enough evidence | A will cause B, then C, then disaster Z |
| Key test | Alternatives, mechanism, and controls | Evidence and probability for each link |
| Repair | Rule out other explanations before claiming a cause | Show evidence for each step, or lower the certainty |
Which one is it?
Fits False Cause
"Reading scores rose after we changed the bell schedule, so the schedule raised the scores." A past relationship is explained by one cause.
Fits Slippery Slope
"If we move the bell five minutes, soon the whole timetable will collapse." A future chain is predicted without support.
Could fit both
"One flexible deadline caused lower effort, and if we allow another, all deadlines will soon disappear." The past cause may be unsupported and the future chain may be too.
Fits neither
A carefully supported causal model with realistic probabilities and named safeguards.
A decision path
- Is the claim about a past relationship or a future chain?
- For a cause, were alternatives and mechanism checked?
- For a chain, does each link have evidence and a real probability?
- Is the certainty stronger than the evidence allows?