1. The Crucible Fallacies: Post Hoc
Nathan Tetzlaff
1st period

2. Definition
noun  1.(logic) the fallacy of assuming that temporal succession  is evidence of causal relation¹
the assumption that just because one event follows another, it was caused by the previous event ¹

3. Universal Examples
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4. Example #1 Type: Post Hoc Character: Giles Corey
Statement: “Last night—mark this—I tried and tried and could not say my prayers. And then she close her book and walks out of the house, and suddenly—mark this—I could pray again!”
Explanation: Giles Corey states that he believes his wife might be guilty by saying that he couldn’t pray when she had her books out. Just because event A happened, Martha read her books, doesn’t mean that it caused even B to happen, Giles couldn’t pray.

5. Example #2 Type: Post Hoc Character: Abigail
Statement: “She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer.”
Explanation: Abigail is laughing at prayer because it is part of her personality and she probably doesn’t want to be at church. Tituba sending her spirit on Abigail during prayer has nothing to do with why she is laughing.

6. Example #3 Type: Post Hoc Character: Mrs. Putnam
Statement: “I knew it! Goody Osburn were mid-wife to me three times. I begged you Thomas, did I not? I begged him not to call Osburn because I feared her. My babies always shriveled in her hands!”
Explanation: In these lines, Mrs. Putnam is backing up the accusation of Goody Osburn being a witch. She does this by saying since Goody Osburn was her mid-wife three times, Goody Osburn is the reason all three of her infants died at birth. Even though Goody Osburn was Mrs. Putnam’s mid-wife three times, that does not mean she is the reason for Mrs. Putnam’s infants’ deaths.

7. References
 "Philosophy Topic: Causation." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 12 Mar
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 12 Mar
"Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc and Marketing." Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc and Marketing. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar
"Friday Fallacy: Post Hoc, Ergo..?" Armstrong Delusion. N.p., 24 Sept Web. 12 Mar
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. The Language of Literature. Ed. Arthur N. Applebee. Evanston: McDougal Littell, Print.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. The Language of Literature. Ed. Arthur N. Applebee. Evanston: McDougal Littell, Print.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. The Language of Literature. Ed. Arthur N. Applebee. Evanston: McDougal Littell, Print.