A Politician Campaigns on a Platform of Eliminating Welfare Benefits

question 47

Essay

A politician campaigns on a platform of eliminating welfare benefits. One ad used by politician says: "Receipt of welfare benefits leads to poor school performance: People who receive welfare benefits have, on average, lower grades than people who do not receive welfare benefits." Construct an argument to challenge this causal reasoning. First, give three examples that drive home the point that association does not establish causation. Then, construct a plausible alterative explanation for low grades that does not involve an effect of welfare benefits on grades, but which does allow for their association.

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Definitions:

Peripheral Vision

The part of vision that occurs outside the very center of gaze, allowing for the detection of stimuli through the sides of the eyes.

Color Vision Deficiency

A condition where an individual's ability to see or distinguish colors is impaired or reduced.

Cones

Photoreceptor cells in the retina of the eye that function best in relatively bright light and enable the perception of color.

Daytime Vision

Vision during daylight hours, primarily involving the cone cells in the retina, which are responsible for color vision and sharp detail.