Reverse Causation

  • ATOM
  • 0.4y ago
  • eg: windmills
    • windmill rotation speed $\propto$ more wind (therefore causes)
  • eg: cholesterol / mortality
    • low cholesterol $\propto$ mortality (therefore causes)
    • but diseases cause cholesterol
  • eg: unclear cause
    • TV violence $\propto$ teenage violence (therefore causes)

Software testing produces more bugs

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[[False cause]] / correlation implies causation: The statement assumes that writing more tests causes more bugs, when in reality, it’s more plausible that:

  • More complex software has more bugs and more tests.
  • More tests are written because bugs were found or are expected — not the other way around.
    Reverse causation (a subtype of false cause):
  • It could also be a case of mistaking effect for cause. That is, there are more tests because there are more bugs, not that tests create bugs.

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