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"I'm not saying that {insert hyperbole here}, but you might wonder how {insert tangentially related topic here}"

My favorite kind of reasoning!




Except that's not the reasoning at all. They're saying:

"You might think that A would cause B, but the data doesn't show that. However, it's reasonable to ask if A does have any effects other than B."


Let me rephrase it for you:

"You might think that {something} would cause {the outcome that fits my, and the audience's agenda/preconceptions}, but the data doesn't show that. However, it's reasonable to ask if there's something going on, right? Also, feel free to quote the first sentence in clickbaity titles and social media posts! If you repeat it enough times, it will actually become truth :)"




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