argument38 吃鱼与旷课

chengnicoleUID: 2216897

TOPIC: ARGUMENT38 - The following memo appeared in the newsletter of the West Meria Public Health Council.

"An innovative treatment has come to our attention that promises to significantly reduce absenteeism in our schools and workplaces. 2)A study reports that in nearby East Meria, where fish consumption is very high, people visit the doctor only once or twice per year for the treatment of colds. Clearly, eating a substantial amount of fish can prevent colds. 1)Since colds are the reason most frequently given for absences from school and work, 3)we recommend the daily use of Ichthaid, a nutritional supplement derived from fish oil, as a good way to prevent colds and lower absenteeism."
WORDS: 306          TIME: 0:29:59          DATE: 2006-7-9

The arguer astonishingly draws the conclusion that the daily use of Ichthaid, a nutritional supplement derived from fish oil, would help to prevent colds so that lower absenteeism. The entire deduction of the conclusion suffers several serious fallacies.  

The arguer made a fundamental mistake in defining the casual relationship between absenteeism and cold. It might be true that the most frequently given reasons of absences are colds, but it is not necessarily true that lower the illness could lower the absence rate. Maybe people think colds are the best excuses for their absences, which might not be the real reasons.

Another critical flaw is that the arguer fails to convince us that eating fish can prevent cold. The only supporting the arguer has is the study report of a nearby East Meria that people there only visit the doctor for colds once or twice per year. Without detailed demographic information of people living there, we cannot hasty draw a conclusion that the high fish consumption is the key reason of fewer colds. Maybe most people there are athletes and young so that the average physical health status there might be better. Or, probably it is some other traditional living habit prevents them from catching a cold. Furthermore, the frequency of visiting doctors might not be the same as the frequency of having colds. It is very likely that people take some medicine by themselves to cure the colds.

Thirdly, even we concede that fish consumption is effective to prevent colds, why we have to choose the nutritional supplement rather than the fresh fish? And, why we have to choose Ichthaid, not other supplement? The arguer did not provide sufficient explanation to answer the questions above. We cannot rule out other possible choices besides Ichthaid. In addition, we should further question the possible side effects of Ichthaid.

In sum, though there are other flaws in the argument, the fatal fallacies stated above can help us define it is unconvincing. To better develop the argument, further study on the effective factors that could preventing colds, and more examination on the elements and functions of Ichthaid, should be conducted.


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