Association Vs Causation; Disparity Vs Discrimination

Association is not causation. This claim is central to the teaching of statistics. This paper reviews the phrases used to distinguish these in the everyday media. These phrases are grouped into an A-B-C classification: A indicates association, C indicates causation, and B indicates in-between. This classification is extended to claim that disparity (association) is not discrimination (causation). Finally, disparate impact is distinguished from systemic discrimination. Statistical educators have no expertise in deciding whether an association is causation, whether a disparity is discrimination, or whether a disparate impact involves systemic discrimination. But they do have expertise in analyzing the effects of context on the size and direction of a statistical association or disparity.