Caffeine consumption disrupts adolescent sleep.

A pharmacologically active stimulant taken close to bedtime, in a population that routinely consumes it, is a cause whose characteristic effect is delayed and shortened sleep.

• Adolescents frequently consume caffeinated beverages, often in the afternoon and evening.
• Caffeine is an adenosine-receptor antagonist with a half-life of roughly 5 hours that delays sleep onset and reduces total sleep time when consumed within several hours of bedtime.

These are challenges this argument’s reasoning pattern must still withstand. Answering them on Isonomia strengthens the argument.

• Could a different cause produce the same effect E in this case?Open
• Is there a plausible causal mechanism by which C could bring about E?Open
• How strong is the causal generalization linking C to E? Are there documented cases where C does not produce E?Open
• Are there intervening or confounding factors that could interfere with the causal chain from C to E?Open
• Is the apparent link between C and E merely a post hoc correlation rather than a causal relation?Open

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