Is there a word or phrase that means 'works but not for the reason we expect it to'?Is there a word that means “doing the right thing for the wrong reason”?Word that means “the opposite of what you would expect”Short phrase for something that is recognised but not identified?Is there a word that means “symbolic”, but works for sound or music?Is there a word that describes the phrase “hope for the best,expect the worst”?Is there a word that means to see something but not be able to describe?What is another word for a reason that is “not the real reason”?Is there a word that means simple but not easy?Word/phrase that means “bad trend”?Is there a word or phrase that means: similar in scenario, but opposite in cause/reason?
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Is there a word or phrase that means 'works but not for the reason we expect it to'?
Is there a word that means “doing the right thing for the wrong reason”?Word that means “the opposite of what you would expect”Short phrase for something that is recognised but not identified?Is there a word that means “symbolic”, but works for sound or music?Is there a word that describes the phrase “hope for the best,expect the worst”?Is there a word that means to see something but not be able to describe?What is another word for a reason that is “not the real reason”?Is there a word that means simple but not easy?Word/phrase that means “bad trend”?Is there a word or phrase that means: similar in scenario, but opposite in cause/reason?
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;
I'm looking for a word or phrase that means that something works or functions, but not for the reason that people think or claim it works.
Examples
- John went outside in the rain with an opened umbrella above his head, thinking that pointing a stick at the heavens would let the gods know that he respects them and have them protect him from getting wet.
Homeopathy: People believe that like cures like - that a dilute version of an irritant could cure the irritation. It works, but not for that reason: it's just a well-administered placebo, and placebos are remarkably effective.
Related concept:
Cargo cult: I'm looking for a word / phrase / idiom that could describe what would happen if a cargo cult actually achieved what the participants set out to achieve.
single-word-requests phrase-requests
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
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Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I'm looking for a word or phrase that means that something works or functions, but not for the reason that people think or claim it works.
Examples
- John went outside in the rain with an opened umbrella above his head, thinking that pointing a stick at the heavens would let the gods know that he respects them and have them protect him from getting wet.
Homeopathy: People believe that like cures like - that a dilute version of an irritant could cure the irritation. It works, but not for that reason: it's just a well-administered placebo, and placebos are remarkably effective.
Related concept:
Cargo cult: I'm looking for a word / phrase / idiom that could describe what would happen if a cargo cult actually achieved what the participants set out to achieve.
single-word-requests phrase-requests
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
New contributor
Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
It sounds like the fallacy of false cause. But that may not be the kind of answer you're looking for. If not, can you provide a sample sentence with a blank spot into which what you want would fit?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
Sounds a bit like “dumb luck”
– Jim
8 hours ago
@JasonBassford - that's pretty much exactly the concept I'm looking for - and the best answer so far. I wonder if there are any more succinct or idiomatic words or phrases that have the same or similar meaning? If you want to write it as an answer, I will mark it as accepted in the absence of anything better.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@Jim - yes, "dumb luck" is close, but covers more than what I'm looking for: it could apply to a situation where someone happened upon a solution without having a reason for thinking it works. What I'm looking for is a description of a situation where someone has a specific explanation for a working solution, but that explanation is wrong.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
I'm looking for a word or phrase that means that something works or functions, but not for the reason that people think or claim it works.
Examples
- John went outside in the rain with an opened umbrella above his head, thinking that pointing a stick at the heavens would let the gods know that he respects them and have them protect him from getting wet.
Homeopathy: People believe that like cures like - that a dilute version of an irritant could cure the irritation. It works, but not for that reason: it's just a well-administered placebo, and placebos are remarkably effective.
Related concept:
Cargo cult: I'm looking for a word / phrase / idiom that could describe what would happen if a cargo cult actually achieved what the participants set out to achieve.
single-word-requests phrase-requests
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
New contributor
Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm looking for a word or phrase that means that something works or functions, but not for the reason that people think or claim it works.
Examples
- John went outside in the rain with an opened umbrella above his head, thinking that pointing a stick at the heavens would let the gods know that he respects them and have them protect him from getting wet.
Homeopathy: People believe that like cures like - that a dilute version of an irritant could cure the irritation. It works, but not for that reason: it's just a well-administered placebo, and placebos are remarkably effective.
Related concept:
Cargo cult: I'm looking for a word / phrase / idiom that could describe what would happen if a cargo cult actually achieved what the participants set out to achieve.
single-word-requests phrase-requests
single-word-requests phrase-requests
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
New contributor
Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
New contributor
Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
New contributor
Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Tom BullTom Bull
1162 bronze badges
1162 bronze badges
New contributor
Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Tom Bull is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
It sounds like the fallacy of false cause. But that may not be the kind of answer you're looking for. If not, can you provide a sample sentence with a blank spot into which what you want would fit?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
Sounds a bit like “dumb luck”
– Jim
8 hours ago
@JasonBassford - that's pretty much exactly the concept I'm looking for - and the best answer so far. I wonder if there are any more succinct or idiomatic words or phrases that have the same or similar meaning? If you want to write it as an answer, I will mark it as accepted in the absence of anything better.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@Jim - yes, "dumb luck" is close, but covers more than what I'm looking for: it could apply to a situation where someone happened upon a solution without having a reason for thinking it works. What I'm looking for is a description of a situation where someone has a specific explanation for a working solution, but that explanation is wrong.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
1
It sounds like the fallacy of false cause. But that may not be the kind of answer you're looking for. If not, can you provide a sample sentence with a blank spot into which what you want would fit?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
Sounds a bit like “dumb luck”
– Jim
8 hours ago
@JasonBassford - that's pretty much exactly the concept I'm looking for - and the best answer so far. I wonder if there are any more succinct or idiomatic words or phrases that have the same or similar meaning? If you want to write it as an answer, I will mark it as accepted in the absence of anything better.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@Jim - yes, "dumb luck" is close, but covers more than what I'm looking for: it could apply to a situation where someone happened upon a solution without having a reason for thinking it works. What I'm looking for is a description of a situation where someone has a specific explanation for a working solution, but that explanation is wrong.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
1
1
It sounds like the fallacy of false cause. But that may not be the kind of answer you're looking for. If not, can you provide a sample sentence with a blank spot into which what you want would fit?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
It sounds like the fallacy of false cause. But that may not be the kind of answer you're looking for. If not, can you provide a sample sentence with a blank spot into which what you want would fit?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
Sounds a bit like “dumb luck”
– Jim
8 hours ago
Sounds a bit like “dumb luck”
– Jim
8 hours ago
@JasonBassford - that's pretty much exactly the concept I'm looking for - and the best answer so far. I wonder if there are any more succinct or idiomatic words or phrases that have the same or similar meaning? If you want to write it as an answer, I will mark it as accepted in the absence of anything better.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@JasonBassford - that's pretty much exactly the concept I'm looking for - and the best answer so far. I wonder if there are any more succinct or idiomatic words or phrases that have the same or similar meaning? If you want to write it as an answer, I will mark it as accepted in the absence of anything better.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@Jim - yes, "dumb luck" is close, but covers more than what I'm looking for: it could apply to a situation where someone happened upon a solution without having a reason for thinking it works. What I'm looking for is a description of a situation where someone has a specific explanation for a working solution, but that explanation is wrong.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@Jim - yes, "dumb luck" is close, but covers more than what I'm looking for: it could apply to a situation where someone happened upon a solution without having a reason for thinking it works. What I'm looking for is a description of a situation where someone has a specific explanation for a working solution, but that explanation is wrong.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
Hmm. Serendipity (serendipitous) is close, but implies accident or coincidence more than false belief.
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
I went through the same chain of thought. I also considered and rejected kludge which is something that works even though it was not designed in the first instance as a solution.
– ohwilleke
8 hours ago
These are great - but I'm ideally looking for something that implies an unjustified confidence in the method of why something works, rather than luck or stumbling upon a solution.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@TomBull - Ah, it's starting to sound like a superstitious belief.
– aparente001
16 secs ago
add a comment |
I hesitate to flat-out answer No, but I don't know of such a word. Maybe this could help - I recall these two phrases that describe or imply someone being right for the wrong reason (actually, being right from random chance, but it would be wrong to attribute the reason to something else):
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
"Even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut."
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I've heard the clock phrase as 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day'.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are close, but you're correct in thinking I'm looking for something that covers the case when someone has a specific, but incorrect explanation for a working method, rather than having hit upon a working method through luck.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
As I mentioned in a comment under the question, what's being described is the fallacy of false cause.
From "your logical fallacy is":
You presumed that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.
Many people confuse correlation (things happening together or in sequence) for causation (that one thing actually causes the other to happen). Sometimes correlation is coincidental, or it may be attributable to a common cause.
Example: Pointing to a fancy chart, Roger shows how temperatures have been rising over the past few centuries, whilst at the same time the numbers of pirates have been decreasing; thus pirates cool the world and global warming is a hoax.
A common expression that goes along with this is:
Correlation does not mean causation.
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Hmm. Serendipity (serendipitous) is close, but implies accident or coincidence more than false belief.
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
I went through the same chain of thought. I also considered and rejected kludge which is something that works even though it was not designed in the first instance as a solution.
– ohwilleke
8 hours ago
These are great - but I'm ideally looking for something that implies an unjustified confidence in the method of why something works, rather than luck or stumbling upon a solution.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@TomBull - Ah, it's starting to sound like a superstitious belief.
– aparente001
16 secs ago
add a comment |
Hmm. Serendipity (serendipitous) is close, but implies accident or coincidence more than false belief.
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
I went through the same chain of thought. I also considered and rejected kludge which is something that works even though it was not designed in the first instance as a solution.
– ohwilleke
8 hours ago
These are great - but I'm ideally looking for something that implies an unjustified confidence in the method of why something works, rather than luck or stumbling upon a solution.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@TomBull - Ah, it's starting to sound like a superstitious belief.
– aparente001
16 secs ago
add a comment |
Hmm. Serendipity (serendipitous) is close, but implies accident or coincidence more than false belief.
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
Hmm. Serendipity (serendipitous) is close, but implies accident or coincidence more than false belief.
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
jeffBjeffB
3164 bronze badges
3164 bronze badges
I went through the same chain of thought. I also considered and rejected kludge which is something that works even though it was not designed in the first instance as a solution.
– ohwilleke
8 hours ago
These are great - but I'm ideally looking for something that implies an unjustified confidence in the method of why something works, rather than luck or stumbling upon a solution.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@TomBull - Ah, it's starting to sound like a superstitious belief.
– aparente001
16 secs ago
add a comment |
I went through the same chain of thought. I also considered and rejected kludge which is something that works even though it was not designed in the first instance as a solution.
– ohwilleke
8 hours ago
These are great - but I'm ideally looking for something that implies an unjustified confidence in the method of why something works, rather than luck or stumbling upon a solution.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@TomBull - Ah, it's starting to sound like a superstitious belief.
– aparente001
16 secs ago
I went through the same chain of thought. I also considered and rejected kludge which is something that works even though it was not designed in the first instance as a solution.
– ohwilleke
8 hours ago
I went through the same chain of thought. I also considered and rejected kludge which is something that works even though it was not designed in the first instance as a solution.
– ohwilleke
8 hours ago
These are great - but I'm ideally looking for something that implies an unjustified confidence in the method of why something works, rather than luck or stumbling upon a solution.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are great - but I'm ideally looking for something that implies an unjustified confidence in the method of why something works, rather than luck or stumbling upon a solution.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@TomBull - Ah, it's starting to sound like a superstitious belief.
– aparente001
16 secs ago
@TomBull - Ah, it's starting to sound like a superstitious belief.
– aparente001
16 secs ago
add a comment |
I hesitate to flat-out answer No, but I don't know of such a word. Maybe this could help - I recall these two phrases that describe or imply someone being right for the wrong reason (actually, being right from random chance, but it would be wrong to attribute the reason to something else):
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
"Even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut."
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I've heard the clock phrase as 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day'.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are close, but you're correct in thinking I'm looking for something that covers the case when someone has a specific, but incorrect explanation for a working method, rather than having hit upon a working method through luck.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
I hesitate to flat-out answer No, but I don't know of such a word. Maybe this could help - I recall these two phrases that describe or imply someone being right for the wrong reason (actually, being right from random chance, but it would be wrong to attribute the reason to something else):
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
"Even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut."
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I've heard the clock phrase as 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day'.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are close, but you're correct in thinking I'm looking for something that covers the case when someone has a specific, but incorrect explanation for a working method, rather than having hit upon a working method through luck.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
I hesitate to flat-out answer No, but I don't know of such a word. Maybe this could help - I recall these two phrases that describe or imply someone being right for the wrong reason (actually, being right from random chance, but it would be wrong to attribute the reason to something else):
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
"Even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut."
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I hesitate to flat-out answer No, but I don't know of such a word. Maybe this could help - I recall these two phrases that describe or imply someone being right for the wrong reason (actually, being right from random chance, but it would be wrong to attribute the reason to something else):
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
"Even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut."
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
answered 8 hours ago
user7291user7291
211 bronze badge
211 bronze badge
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
user7291 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I've heard the clock phrase as 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day'.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are close, but you're correct in thinking I'm looking for something that covers the case when someone has a specific, but incorrect explanation for a working method, rather than having hit upon a working method through luck.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
I've heard the clock phrase as 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day'.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are close, but you're correct in thinking I'm looking for something that covers the case when someone has a specific, but incorrect explanation for a working method, rather than having hit upon a working method through luck.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
I've heard the clock phrase as 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day'.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
I've heard the clock phrase as 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day'.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are close, but you're correct in thinking I'm looking for something that covers the case when someone has a specific, but incorrect explanation for a working method, rather than having hit upon a working method through luck.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
These are close, but you're correct in thinking I'm looking for something that covers the case when someone has a specific, but incorrect explanation for a working method, rather than having hit upon a working method through luck.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
add a comment |
As I mentioned in a comment under the question, what's being described is the fallacy of false cause.
From "your logical fallacy is":
You presumed that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.
Many people confuse correlation (things happening together or in sequence) for causation (that one thing actually causes the other to happen). Sometimes correlation is coincidental, or it may be attributable to a common cause.
Example: Pointing to a fancy chart, Roger shows how temperatures have been rising over the past few centuries, whilst at the same time the numbers of pirates have been decreasing; thus pirates cool the world and global warming is a hoax.
A common expression that goes along with this is:
Correlation does not mean causation.
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
add a comment |
As I mentioned in a comment under the question, what's being described is the fallacy of false cause.
From "your logical fallacy is":
You presumed that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.
Many people confuse correlation (things happening together or in sequence) for causation (that one thing actually causes the other to happen). Sometimes correlation is coincidental, or it may be attributable to a common cause.
Example: Pointing to a fancy chart, Roger shows how temperatures have been rising over the past few centuries, whilst at the same time the numbers of pirates have been decreasing; thus pirates cool the world and global warming is a hoax.
A common expression that goes along with this is:
Correlation does not mean causation.
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
add a comment |
As I mentioned in a comment under the question, what's being described is the fallacy of false cause.
From "your logical fallacy is":
You presumed that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.
Many people confuse correlation (things happening together or in sequence) for causation (that one thing actually causes the other to happen). Sometimes correlation is coincidental, or it may be attributable to a common cause.
Example: Pointing to a fancy chart, Roger shows how temperatures have been rising over the past few centuries, whilst at the same time the numbers of pirates have been decreasing; thus pirates cool the world and global warming is a hoax.
A common expression that goes along with this is:
Correlation does not mean causation.
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
As I mentioned in a comment under the question, what's being described is the fallacy of false cause.
From "your logical fallacy is":
You presumed that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.
Many people confuse correlation (things happening together or in sequence) for causation (that one thing actually causes the other to happen). Sometimes correlation is coincidental, or it may be attributable to a common cause.
Example: Pointing to a fancy chart, Roger shows how temperatures have been rising over the past few centuries, whilst at the same time the numbers of pirates have been decreasing; thus pirates cool the world and global warming is a hoax.
A common expression that goes along with this is:
Correlation does not mean causation.
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
26.1k3 gold badges35 silver badges66 bronze badges
add a comment |
add a comment |
Tom Bull is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Tom Bull is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Tom Bull is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Tom Bull is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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1
It sounds like the fallacy of false cause. But that may not be the kind of answer you're looking for. If not, can you provide a sample sentence with a blank spot into which what you want would fit?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
Sounds a bit like “dumb luck”
– Jim
8 hours ago
@JasonBassford - that's pretty much exactly the concept I'm looking for - and the best answer so far. I wonder if there are any more succinct or idiomatic words or phrases that have the same or similar meaning? If you want to write it as an answer, I will mark it as accepted in the absence of anything better.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago
@Jim - yes, "dumb luck" is close, but covers more than what I'm looking for: it could apply to a situation where someone happened upon a solution without having a reason for thinking it works. What I'm looking for is a description of a situation where someone has a specific explanation for a working solution, but that explanation is wrong.
– Tom Bull
7 hours ago