Treating an explanation of a fact as if it were a justification of the fact, a valid reason for the fact, or evidence for the fact.
Examples:
- Barto: If masks don’t work, how do you explain the almost perfect correlation between mask-wearing communities and lower transmission rates? Tikki: All this means is that in communities where more people where masks, the virus is less-likely to spread. It is not proof that masks are the reason.
Synonyms: confusing and explanation with justification, confusing elucidation with justification