A Latin phrase used in logic and everyday critique meaning that because one event followed another, the first caused the second. Common in discussions of causal fallacies, it highlights mistaken inference rather than proven causation. The phrase is typically treated as a rhetorical label rather than a statement of fact in English discourse.
"During the debate he claimed the policy caused the rise in crime, but it’s a classic Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc fallacy."
"The speaker argued that since I wore sunglasses, the sun must be responsible for my mood—an example of Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc reasoning."
"Educational reforms were followed by improved scores, but attributing causation to the policy alone would be Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc."
"In criticizing the study, she warned against Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc inferences when correlation doesn’t imply causation."
The phrase originated in Latin and is widely attributed to logic and philosophy discussions around causal inference. It concatenates five Latin elements: post (after), hoc (this/it), Ergo (therefore), Propter (because of), Hoc (this). The construction mirrors scholastic Latin phrasing used to critique argument structures. Its formal roots lie in the study of fallacies and syllogistic reasoning in classical rhetoric and medieval scholasticism, later popularized in modern English texts on logical fallacies. The term gained prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries as scientists and philosophers debated what constitutes a valid cause. Its usage intensified in educational contexts to name a specific after-the-fact inference error: concluding that A caused B simply because B followed A in time. Today, it remains a staple label in critical thinking and law, often invoked to admonish simplistic causal claims in journalism, policy analysis, and everyday argumentation. The phrase is frequently quoted in discussions of correlation vs. causation, serving as a concise reminder that temporal succession does not prove causality. While Latin loanship gives it a formal tone, it is commonly used in English-speaking contexts to discuss faulty reasoning without requiring deep knowledge of Latin. First known English attestations appear in critiques of causal arguments from the late 19th to mid-20th century, though the concept underlies many older logical treatises.
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Words that rhyme with "Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc"
-ock sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Break it into five blocks: Post / Hoc / Er(go) / Propter / Hoc. IPA: US /poʊst hɒk ˈɜːrɡoʊ ˈprɒptər hɒk/; UK /pəʊst hɒk ˈɜːɡəʊ ˈprɒptə hɒk/. Stress on Ergo (ˈɜːrɡoʊ) and Propter (ˈprɒptər). Keep the phrase smooth as a unit, with minimal pause between blocks. You’ll hear the rhythm as three syllabic clusters: post-hoc / er-go / prop-ter / hoc; ensure the final Hoc lands crisply. Audio reference: Cambridge/Forvo pronunciations and pronunciation tutorials can provide cadence.
Common errors: 1) misplacing stress on wrong syllables (e.g., stressing Propter instead of Ergo); 2) articulating Latin vowels too clipped or too anglicized (say the vowels clearly: ˈɜːrɡoʊ); 3) running words together without the natural pauses between blocks. Correction: practice chunking in five units, rehearse the stress pattern on Ergo and Propter, and insert a light, natural pause between Hoc and the next word. Use slow, then normal tempo with recording to confirm natural rhythm.
US tends to a rhotic, fully pronounced r in Ergo and Propter; UK and AU often reduce /ˈɜːɡəʊ/ with non-rhotic r (linking r not pronounced in some accents). Vowel quality shifts: US may use /oʊ/ in Post, UK often /əʊ/; AU blends /ˈɜːɡəʊ/ with flatter vowels. Overall rhythm remains syllable-timed; but the consonant clarity and final Hoc are strong in all. Listen to native samples (Forvo) for each variant to feel the subtle rhoticity and vowel shifts.
Key challenges: five Latin components with mixed vowels and consonant clusters; the sequence crosses /st/ in Post, /k/ in Hoc, and mid vowels in Ergo/Propter. The stress on Ergo and Propter creates a multisyllabic focus that can tempt you to flatten vowels. Mouth positioning requires precise tongue elevation for /ɜːrɡ/ and a soft-t, rolled feel in /ptər/. Slow, segmented practice and IPA-focused cues help you maintain clarity.
In fluent, many speakers reduce unstressed syllables slightly, but here Propter typically remains full and distinct due to proximity to the hard Hoc at the end and its role as a key content word within the phrase. You’ll usually maintain the full /ˈprɒptər/ rather than a clipped form. Focus on keeping the /pt/ cluster crisp and avoiding elision in careful speech; in rapid delivery, slight reduction may occur in casual settings, but generally not in formal contexts.
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