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发表于 2005-8-25 20:22:25
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131The following appeared in an environmental newsletter published in Tria Island.
"The marine sanctuary on Tria Island was established to protect certain marine mammals. Its regulations ban dumping and offshore oil drilling within 20 miles of Tria, but fishing is not banned. Currently many fish populations in Tria's waters are declining, a situation blamed on pollution. In contrast, the marine sanctuary on Omni Island has regulations that ban dumping, offshore oil drilling, and fishing within 10 miles of Omni and Omni reports no significant decline in its fish populations. Clearly, the decline in fish populations in Tria's waters is the result of overfishing, not pollution. Therefore, the best way to restore Tria's fish populations and to protect all of Tria's marine wildlife is to abandon our regulations and adopt those of Omni."
The arguer attributes declining of fish populations are to the result of overfishing. Because Omni Island bans fishing within 10 miles of Omni while Tria Island does not. Meanwhile, the arguer denies the cause of pollution and makes a conclusion to imitate the regulations of Omni and abandon their own. However, the argument lacks credibility for the evidence can not lend strong support to what the arguer maintains.
First of all, the argument is based on a false analogy. The arguer simply assumes that the two Islands have similar natural environment so that they are suitable for the same regulations. But he does not provide any evidence that this is the case. As we know, different locations may have different climates, then different climates lead to different species of wildlife living there. It is entirely possible that climate change lead to the temperature’s fluctuation in the water. Many fishes can not be fit to the water any longer and leave Tria Island. Therefore, the decrease of fish populations may have nothing to do with fishing.
In addition, the argument is weaken by the vague data. The original amounts of fish in the water of two islands are not provided. From the argument, dumping and offshore oil drilling is merely banned within 10 miles of Omni. It is highly possible that the fish population in the water of Omni is so small that only fish with strong life can exist in it. Thus, the reason that Omni reports no significant decline in its fish population might be that there are no enough fish for fishing. Therefore the restriction set up to protect Omni Island is meaningless, not to mention that others can learn from it.
Last but not least, the arguer is so hasty to exclude the cause of pollution. Just understanding the difference between two islands’ regulations, the arguer do not test the conditions of water or check the organs of some fish samples. Unless a further investigation is implemented, we can not make a conclusion that fish decline is none of the business with pollution.
In sum, the arguer is necessary to provide more information about the similarity of two islands’ status including their location, climate, species in the water and so on. Meanwhile, exact number of fishes living in the water of both islands originally and strong proof that pollution do not occur in the water of Tria Island are needed also. Otherwise, the reduplication of other’s restriction will not help to protect the environment and species on the Tria Island. |
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