Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc (The West Wing)

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“Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc”
The West Wing episode

Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 2
Written by	Aaron Sorkin
Directed by	Thomas Schlamme
Guest stars	Ruben Santiago-Hudson Lisa Edelstein Merrin Dungey Renee Estevez John Bedford Lloyd Janel Moloney Suzy Nakamura Tim Matheson
Production no.	225901
Original airdate	September 29, 1999
Season 1 episodes
Pilot Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc A Proportional Response Five Votes Down The Crackpots and These Women Mr. Willis of Ohio The State Dinner Enemies The Short List In Excelsis Deo Lord John Marbury He Shall, from Time To Time... Take out the Trash Day Take This Sabbath Day Celestial Navigation 20 Hours in L. A. The White House Pro-Am Six Meetings Before Lunch Let Bartlet Be Bartlet Mandatory Minimums Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics What Kind of Day Has It Been
List of The West Wing episodes

"Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" is the 2nd episode of The West Wing.

[edit] Plot

Sam jeopardizes his bright political future when he decides to pursue a relationship with a call girl he recently met, while C.J. arbitrates a disagreement between the President and the Vice President, and the President hires a new White House physician. The White House hires Mandy as a political consultant, much to Josh's chagrin.

President Bartlet connects with his new doctor, Captain Morris Tolliver, whose first child was just born. The episode ends with Leo informing the President that Morris died while en route to a teaching hospital when the military plane he was on is shot down by the Syrian Defense ministry.

[edit] Notes

W.G. Walden's theme music first features in this episode.
The President tells C.J. that it will say "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" on her grave and goes on to explain the term. Translated from Latin, "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" reads: "After it, therefore because of it." A common logical fallacy, it is the presumption that since one event predates another, that therefore the first event is the cause of the second.
Josh, through process of elimination, determines that "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" means "After Hoc, Therefore Something Else Hoc".