Post hoc, ergo propter hoc

After it, therefore, because of it - don't simply assume that because one thing follows another, the first thing caused the second thing to happen. A classic scene from the second episode of The West Wing, where Jed Bartlett implies that the reason he lost Texas was because he believed Texans would never elect a president who spoke latin.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• The West Wing
• Post hoc
• ergo propter hoc
• Jed Bartlett
• Post hoc fallacy

[neaseech]

@tribalinsight Geroge W. Bush isn't from Texas, he's Texan because he's the governor.

[UncleMikeNJ]

C.J., you know that line you're not supposed to cross with the President? Look behind you.

I like having a President who can speak Latin. Better yet, I like having a President who can speak English.

[jesusthroughmary]

@BlokenArrow David Atchison was not President. Zachary Taylor was President as of noon on 4 March 1849, he simply could not execute the powers and responsibilities of the Presidency until the next day.

[observer9670]

Bartlet lost Texas despite having a running mate who was a Senator from Texas. IRL, the last time a major party VP nominee lost his home state was 1996, when Jack Kemp's home state, New York, was won by Clinton-Gore.

[BlokenArrow]

@FreeMan549 Actually, they have had more than 43 occupy the position. The 25th Amendment, Section 3 has been invoked 3 times: once by Reagan and twice by George W. Bush. In the latter case, both time Dick Cheney assumed the office of President for less than a day.

Also, Zachory Taylor refused to take the oath of office on a sunday, so David Atchison was Acting President for a full day in 1849.

But, most people would never know this becasue they learn history at a public school.

[IsraeliGasMask]

@eyelash512 Admittedly, I did not have any research whatsoever in this particular instance, but I to believe the conversation has gone beyond the questioning of whether or not he was Texan to whether or not it is fair to call anyone who just happens to reside in Texas Texan. I understand that in this particular situation the man was, in fact, born in Texas, but it has moved on to the hypothetical, not the literal.

Perhaps you should realize this is an open comment section before you reply.

[eyelash512]

@IsraeliGasMask He was raised in Texas with his siblings. He didn't leave Texas until high school,and after college promptly returned back to join the Texas Air National Guard. That would -- by just about any definition -- make him Texan. Perhaps you should put some effort into research before you reply next time.

[AlderaanBoy]

@FreeMan549 Yeah, and Wilson was a well-documented racist. What's your point?